Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 25: The storm may cross Andhra Pradesh’s coast on October 28. Odisha has shut schools in five districts. It has also readied 302 emergency teams against heavy rain and strong winds.
A cyclone threat is prompting urgent preparations in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The system over the Bay of Bengal could become a very severe cyclonic storm. Evacuation plans are being drawn up, and emergency teams are on alert.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects landfall on October 28. The storm may cross between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by Wednesday forenoon. Sustained winds could reach 115–125 km/h, gusting to 140 km/h. These are forecasts, and the track, timing and strength may still change.
Southern Odisha lies well north of the projected landfall zone. The system may pass about 300 km from Gopalpur. Yet a cyclone’s rain and wind bands spread far beyond its centre. Distance alone does not decide how hard an area is hit.
The IMD has placed 5 Odisha districts under red alert. They are Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri. A red warning signals severe weather that demands immediate preparedness. Isolated spots could receive more than 20 cm of rain, classed as extremely heavy.
Rainfall will not be uniform across each district. Low-lying pockets may face localised flooding or waterlogging. Educational institutions in the five districts will stay shut on October 28 and 29. The closures apply only to these districts, not the whole state.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has reportedly told officials to focus on preventing casualties. District collectors have been asked to stay at their headquarters. That allows quicker coordination if conditions worsen.
Odisha has placed 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams on alert. Seventeen National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 225 Fire Services teams are also ready. Together, that makes 302 teams on standby. They are on alert, not necessarily deployed in the field. Such teams support evacuation, rescue and relief work.
Officials have been told to move people out of vulnerable areas. Elderly residents, pregnant women and patients needing medical care are the priority. Identifying them early helps rescuers act quickly once the weather turns.
Hospitals have been ordered to stock essential medicines. These include anti-snake venom, as floodwaters can drive snakes into homes. Authorities are also preparing for possible disruption to power, water and roads. Such outages have not been reported so far.
Farmers have been urged to protect their crops. Heavy rain and strong winds can flatten standing crops and soak stored produce.
The weather is already affecting areas farther south. Puducherry has reported continuous rain. Cyclone warning signals have been hoisted at nine Tamil Nadu ports. Fishermen have been told to stay ashore. Those already at sea have been advised to return.
The depression formed on October 24 from a well-marked low-pressure area. If it becomes a cyclonic storm, it will reportedly be named Arnab. Bangladesh proposed the name, which means “ocean” in Bengali. The name applies only once cyclonic storm strength is confirmed.
Residents should follow official IMD bulletins as the storm nears. Preparedness is in place, but the coming days will be decisive.
