Videos showing skies glowing deep red over parts of Chhattisgarh have gone viral on social media, days after Cyclone Arnab made landfall on India's east coast.
The clips were posted widely on Friday, including by the X account RTVisual, which described the "blood-red" skies as "Perfect Stranger Things vibes for Halloween".
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The footage appears to come largely from Dantewada and Kirandul, where people have linked the unusual colour to the severe weather alerts around Cyclone Arnab.
🚨 THE SKY OVER CHHATTISGARH TURNED BLOOD RED. THIS LOOKS LIKE A SCENE FROM THE END OF THE WORLD. 🔴🌩️ These striking visuals reportedly show the extraordinary crimson sky over Kirandul, in Dantewada district, Chhattisgarh, amid atmospheric disturbances associated with Cyclone Arnab. 🌩️ But what could turn the sky this red? 🔴 Atmospheric scattering: The colour of the sky depends on how sunlight interacts with air molecules, aerosols, dust and moisture. When sunlight travels through a long atmospheric path, shorter wavelengths can be scattered away, allowing red and orange light to dominate. ☁️ Storm clouds: Thick clouds can dramatically alter the colour and intensity of twilight light, producing unusual red, crimson and orange hues. 🌧️ Moisture, dust and aerosols: Particles and droplets suspended in the atmosphere can influence how light is scattered and absorbed, changing the appearance of the sky. 📍 Location: Kirandul, Dantewada district, Chhattisgarh, India. One important caveat: the exact cause of this particular sky cannot be established from the image alone. The timing, weather observations and local atmospheric conditions would need to be verified before attributing it specifically to the cyclone. Imagine stepping outside your house and seeing THIS overhead. Would you grab your phone to record it, or head straight back indoors? #Chhattisgarh #Weather #Cyclone #Nature #India
— Kaptan Hindustan™ (@KaptanHindustan) October 29, 2026
Cyclone Arnab began making landfall early on Wednesday, October 28, along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts, bringing torrential rain.
Although the landfall was outside Chhattisgarh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Sukma, Bastar, Bijapur, Kondagaon and Dantewada districts, and expected widespread rain across the state on October 28 and 29.
The red skies were reported as the cyclone's remnants moved inland.
ALSO READ | NASA Reveals What Cyclone Arnab Looked Like From Space As It Hit India
Why The Sky May Look Red
Experts say strong winds can lift dust, sand or iron-rich red soil high into the atmosphere, which can make the sky look red, and similar scenes have been seen in Australia and elsewhere ahead of cyclone landfalls.
The usual science is that the sky looks blue because air molecules scatter blue light most. When sunlight travels a longer path, for example near sunrise or sunset, much of the blue is scattered away and reds and oranges dominate. Dust, smoke or other fine particles can strengthen the effect.
ALSO READ | Cyclone Arnab Wreaks Havoc In Odisha, Over 55,000 Evacuated Across Nine Districts
Context
Red or crimson skies tend to go viral every few months. They have been reported during Indonesian forest fires, and in China, where some users wrongly read them as a sign of an earthquake.
Such sightings generally have natural explanations such as dust, smoke or the angle of the sun, though they can look alarming on camera.
The IMD has not commented on the videos so far. The storm has had a heavy toll elsewhere. Cyclone Arnab killed at least three people after landfall on India's southeastern coast, before weakening.
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