Cyclone Arnab crosses coast south of Yanam; landfall nearing completion, says IMD | LIVE

For Cyclone Arnab, landfall means the storm’s centre crossed from the Bay of Bengal onto the Andhra Pradesh coast. This matters because landfall is the period when the strongest winds, intense rain and dangerous storm conditions can affect coastal communities. It is not always a single instant.

A cyclone has a broad circulation, not just one point. Its wall cloud surrounds the centre, while spiral rain bands extend far outward. Arnab’s northern spiral band had already moved inland, but its centre remained close to the coast. The IMD said the storm was “practically stationary” and that landfall could continue for another two to three hours.

By 6.30 a.m., the centre was over the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast, just south of Yanam. The rear part of the wall cloud was expected to cross within an hour, completing landfall. This shows why officials continued warnings and safety measures after the first coastal crossing began.

Cyclone Arnab’s centre was reported over the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast, just south of Yanam, at 6.30 a.m. on Wednesday. Earlier, the storm’s landfall process had begun near Narsapur in West Godavari district, at about 1.30 a.m. The exact point was considered tentative until the full landfall process ended.

North coastal Andhra Pradesh received the heaviest rain. Kannuripalem in Kasimkota mandal of Anakapalli district recorded about 263 millimetres in the 24 hours to 8 a.m. Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram also recorded about 263 millimetres. The 16th Police Battalion campus in Visakhapatnam received about 260 millimetres.

Thirty-nine automatic weather stations in Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram crossed 204.5 millimetres, the IMD’s extremely heavy rain mark. Within Visakhapatnam city, Simhachalam received about 238 millimetres, while Madhurawada recorded about 207 millimetres.

Rainfall reached about 263 millimetres in 24 hours at Kannuripalem in Anakapalli and Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram. The 16th Police Battalion campus in Visakhapatnam recorded about 260 millimetres. These were the highest reported totals in Andhra Pradesh during the storm period described in the bulletin.

The key comparison is the IMD threshold. The department uses 204.5 millimetres in 24 hours to mark extremely heavy rain. Thirty-nine automatic weather stations crossed that level. Thus, readings around 260 millimetres were not merely heavy; they were well into the extremely heavy category. The article does not provide the usual daily rainfall for these locations, so an exact local comparison with normal cannot be calculated.

Such totals concentrated over one day can overwhelm drains, flood roads and isolate communities. Visakhapatnam’s Waltair station recorded 217 millimetres, while Kakinada had 118 millimetres. Rayalaseema and southern districts stayed almost dry, with less than 7.5 millimetres.

Very strong cyclone winds can throw loose objects, uproot trees, damage roofs and weaken buildings or power lines. Extreme rain can rapidly flood streets, homes and low-lying areas. Together, wind, rain and poor visibility make rescue work dangerous and can strand people. The article reported police rescuing people in some places as heavy rain lashed the State.

Transport is especially vulnerable. Flooded roads can become impassable, while fallen trees, debris and damaged infrastructure can interrupt rail services. Airports must also consider runway conditions, visibility, aircraft safety and the ability of staff and passengers to travel. The Civil Aviation Ministry reviewed operations because Arnab was forecast to bring winds of 125–135 kilometres per hour.

The article records cancelled train services and flights, showing that disruption was already expected or under way. It does not report specific building collapses or aviation accidents. The continuing landfall near the coast meant officials had to maintain warnings while rain and winds affected several districts.

Evacuations and cyclone shelters are used to move people away from vulnerable homes and exposed coastal or low-lying areas before conditions become too dangerous. With Arnab producing extreme rain and forecast winds of 125–135 kilometres per hour, waiting until roads flooded or winds strengthened could have trapped residents. Shelters offered safer places during the storm.

Transport cancellations also protected passengers, crews and aircraft from unsafe conditions. Heavy rain can flood roads and reduce visibility, while wind and debris can disrupt railways and airport operations. Rescues became necessary when some people were already stranded. The article reports that police rescued people in several places as rain lashed Andhra Pradesh.

The response involved evacuations, activated cyclone shelters, cancelled trains and flights, and a review by the Civil Aviation Ministry. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation in the morning. These steps show a shift from reacting to danger toward preparing before the cyclone’s effects peaked.

Cyclone Hudhud is mentioned as an earlier event that shaped Andhra Pradesh’s disaster preparedness. The article does not list every lesson or measure adopted since Hudhud. It does show that authorities had built a coordinated system for anticipating danger, moving residents, opening shelters and reviewing essential services.

As Arnab approached, authorities stepped up evacuations and activated cyclone shelters across vulnerable districts. Train services and flights were cancelled, while the Civil Aviation Ministry held a safety review. Police also rescued stranded people after heavy rain began. These actions connect planning with operations before and during landfall.

The State’s preparedness was tested as Arnab remained practically stationary and its landfall continued for several hours. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation in the morning. The article gives no assessment of casualties, damage or the effectiveness of each measure. It does show that the response used multiple agencies and continued while the storm’s centre stayed close to the coast.

A tropical cyclone begins when thunderstorms form over warm tropical ocean water. Warm water causes evaporation, and moist air rises. As that air cools, water vapour condenses and releases heat, helping more air rise. Pressure falls near the surface, pulling in more air and building a rotating storm system. Earth’s rotation helps organise the circulation.

If the ocean remains warm and upper-level winds do not tear the storm apart, the system can strengthen. Falling pressure usually supports faster winds and deeper thunderstorms. A cyclone’s rain bands spiral toward a central circulation, while the wall cloud around the centre contains some of its strongest weather. Arnab’s spiral band and wall cloud were described during landfall.

After moving over land, a cyclone normally weakens because it loses access to warm, moist ocean air. Land friction also slows and disrupts its circulation, while mountains or dry air can weaken it further. Arnab’s immediate effects remained serious during landfall, but its long-term strength would depend on its track and environment.