Cyclonic storm Arnab has crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.
The development came as heavy rain and strong winds battered the state's coastal districts and a flood alert was sounded in 167 villages of Srikakulam.
Arnab began crossing the coast after spending hours almost stationary just offshore. In its 8:40 a.m. bulletin, the IMD said the very severe cyclonic storm had stayed practically stationary for the previous three hours.
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It lay about 30 km east of Narsapur, 45 km south-southwest of Yanam and 70 km south-southwest of Kakinada. The department had forecast maximum sustained winds of 115-125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph, with the storm's wall cloud region already over land.
It expected the system to cross between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to the south of Yanam.
Local live reports said winds reached 135 kmph at landfall and a storm surge of about 2 metres above the astronomical tide was observed close to Kakinada. Visakhapatnam recorded 21.1 cm of rainfall, and roads in Chodavaram, Paderu and Narsipatnam were damaged by the rain.
The worst-hit area so far appears to be Srikakulam in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. PTI video from the district showed paddy fields under water and residents wading through flooded streets.
ALSO READ | Cyclone Arnab Landfall To Continue For Next 3 Hours; Winds Up To 150 Kmph
VIDEO | Cyclone Arnab: Heavy rains batter Srikakulam submerging paddy fields. Flood alert sounded in 167 villages. Farmers fear heavy crop losses as heavy rains, strong winds batter the region. #CycloneArnab #CycloneUpdate (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 28, 2026
Farmers fear heavy crop losses as the rain and winds continue.
A flash flood alert has been issued for Bapatla, Guntur, Krishna, NTR, Eluru, Konaseema, East Godavari, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Manyam and Srikakulam districts, with flooding possible at any time.
The IMD said very heavy rainfall was most likely from Bapatla to Srikakulam on Wednesday.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation and directed officials to stay alert.
The IMD had issued a red message in its earlier bulletin, the highest level of alert in its warning system, and had also flagged post-landfall effects for Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha.
Odisha has already recorded rain from the system, with Gopalpur at 94 mm, Puri at 67 mm and Bhubaneswar at 38 mm in the latest bulletin.
The Bay of Bengal regularly throws up cyclones between October and December. Exactly a year ago, Cyclone Montha made landfall near Kakinada around midnight, causing widespread damage to crops and roads across the same coastal belt.
Further updates are expected from the IMD and the state government as the system moves inland and weakens.
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