Cyclone Arnab 'practically stationary,' landfall process to continue for 2-3 hours

Amaravati, Cyclone Arnab remained "practically stationary" along the Andhra Pradesh coast early on Wednesday and the landfall process is expected to continue for the next 2-3 hours, the IMD said, as heavy rains lashed a number of districts in the southern state.

At some places in the state, police rescued stranded people. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation on Wednesday morning.

According to the IMD, the northern spiral band of the cyclone has further entered the land, while the storm's centre remains very close to the coastline.

"The cyclone remains practically stationary along the Andhra Pradesh coast, and the landfall process is expected to continue for another 2-3 hours," the India Meteorological Department said in an update at 5.30 am.

The very severe cyclonic storm was located over the west central Bay of Bengal close to the Andhra Pradesh coast, near latitude 16.4 degrees north and longitude 82.0 degrees east, about 30 km east of Narsapur, 45 km south-southwest of Yanam, 70 km south-southwest of Kakinada and 90 km east-northeast of Machilipatnam.

The system is likely to continue moving north westwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to the south of Yanam, as a very severe cyclonic storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of up to 135 kmph and gusts reaching 150 kmph during the next three hours, the weather update said

Under the influence of the cyclone, heavy rain struck several places in the Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Konaseema districts.

Collectors of Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Konaseema and West Godavari reported heavy rainfall and strong winds in their respective districts. Trees had fallen at some places due to the impact of the cyclone.

In Kakinada, police rescued four people stranded in floodwaters near Bombay Katta area after heavy rain and seawater inundated the area, a district police press release said.

The four people, who had reported for duty in the morning, remained stranded until night after floodwaters completely surrounded the place where they were staying, leaving them with no way to get out. They informed the police about their situation, following which a rescue operation was launched.

The police safely rescued all four people, helped them board a vehicle and sent them to their homes, it said.

Meanwhile, three people were reported to be stranded at the CWC godowns in Kakinada Anchorage Port due to Cyclone Arnab. The area was flooded after heavy rainwater and seawater entered the premises, while the facility also experienced a complete disruption of power supply.

The situation became critical as the night shift personnel were unable to leave the store premises as it became flooded.

G Raju, an employee of a private company, said he was stranded while working the afternoon shift when Cyclone Arnab hit the area.

He said the rescue team reached them and brought them to safety.

Similarly, C Durga Prasad, a resident of Nadakuduru, said he was stranded while travelling towards the Kakinada bus stop amid the cyclone. He thanked the police for responding to information provided by local residents and rescuing them.

Recounting his ordeal, Akash, a manager at an apparel store in Kakinada, said he and several others were stranded at the local bus complex after services were suspended due to the cyclone.

"We started at 6 am, but vehicles have not been moving since then as trees have fallen on roads and several routes have been blocked. It has been raining continuously, while strong winds are causing more trees to fall and power lines to snap," he told PTI videos.

Akash said they had arrived at the bus complex to travel to Visakhapatnam but were held up.

Police advised people not to venture outdoors unless absolutely necessary and to stay away from areas inundated by floodwaters.

Those trapped in dangerous situations or requiring assistance were advised to contact Dial 112 or the Kakinada Police Control Room.

Rainfall exceeding 200 mm was recorded at several locations in Anakapalli, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts between 8.30 am on October 27 and 4 am on October 28, the IMD said.

Kannuripalem in Anakapalli recorded the highest rainfall at 261.5 mm, followed by KVBR School in Vizianagaram district at 259.74 mm and the 16th Police Battalion area in Visakhapatnam at 259.06 mm.

According to state government officials, heavy rainfall was likely to continue on Wednesday and Thursday due to the cyclone's impact.

Meanwhile, CM Naidu held a teleconference at 6:15 am on Wednesday to review the situation in cyclone-affected areas and the ongoing relief operations.

He directed officials to immediately clear uprooted trees and take steps to restore power supply once the intensity of the cyclone subsided, a government release said.

Power supply had been suspended in cyclone-affected areas as a precautionary measure, officials informed him.

He also directed officials to take precautionary measures to prevent tanks and canals from overflowing, it added.

Further, the state School Education Department has converted 609 schools into rehabilitation centres, accommodating 854 people across the state as of 5.50 am on October 28, officials said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.