Cyclone Arnab to Hit Andhra Coast on Oct 28; Crops, Orchards at Risk

New Delhi, 27 October 2026: Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “Arnab” is moving towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Message for coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha. The storm is expected to cross the coast on the forenoon of 28 October, with farmers, horticulture growers and fish and shrimp farmers in the delta belt facing the biggest risk.

Landfall expected near Yanam

According to IMD’s 1400 hrs bulletin, the cyclone lay over the west-central Bay of Bengal at 0830 hrs on 27 October, about 220 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 240 km east-southeast of Kakinada. It is expected to move west-northwestwards until the evening, then turn northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam.

Winds are forecast to peak at 150-160 kmph, gusting to 180 kmph, on 27 October. At landfall they should ease to 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph. IMD expects the system to weaken to a cyclonic storm by the evening of 28 October and to a deep depression by 29 October. The storm is under continuous watch by the Doppler Weather Radar at Visakhapatnam.

What it means for agriculture

IMD’s impact assessment for coastal Andhra Pradesh on 27-28 October points to heavy losses in the farm sector:

Widespread damage to standing crops, plantations and orchards, with major damage to coastal crops
Falling of green coconuts and tearing of palm fronds
Widespread damage to banana, papaya and drumstick trees
Bushy trees such as mango may be blown down
Damage to embankments and salt pans

The same agricultural impacts are expected over south Odisha, south Chhattisgarh and northeast Telangana on 28 October, where IMD also warns of minor damage to loose structures and flooding of kutcha roads.

IMD has also flagged riverine, urban and coastal flooding as secondary hazards, with possible landslides in hilly areas. Growers in low-lying fields should expect waterlogging.

Heavy rain across several states

Coastal Andhra Pradesh is likely to see heavy to very heavy rain (7-20 cm) at a few places and extremely heavy rain (21 cm or more) at isolated places on 27 and 28 October. Heavy rain will continue over north coastal Andhra Pradesh on 29 October.

IMD’s state-wise warnings are:

Odisha: Extremely heavy rain at isolated places over south Odisha on 27 and 28 October, and heavy rain over interior Odisha on 29 October.
Telangana: Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over the eastern parts on 28 October.
Chhattisgarh: Extremely heavy rain at isolated places over south Chhattisgarh on 28 October, with heavy to very heavy rain over the north on 29 October.
Jharkhand, Vidarbha and East Madhya Pradesh: Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places on 28 and 29 October.
Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim: Heavy rainfall from 28 to 30 October.
East Uttar Pradesh: Heavy to very heavy rain on 29 October, continuing into 30 and 31 October over the northeast of the state.
Storm surge and warnings for fishers

IMD expects a storm surge of 1.0 to 2.0 metres above astronomical tide to inundate low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh at landfall, with the peak near Kakinada and Yanam. Sea conditions will turn “phenomenal” along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts from the night of 27 October until landfall, with waves of 14 metres or more.

Gale winds of 90-100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph, are forecast for the coastal districts of Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, East Godavari, West Godavari, Konaseema, Krishna and Bapatla by the evening of 28 October.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into the west-central Bay of Bengal, the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coasts and the northwest Bay of Bengal and West Bengal coast from 27 to 29 October. Fishing is also barred along the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts on 27 and 28 October. IMD has called for total suspension of fishing and offshore and onshore operations in coastal Andhra Pradesh, and has asked for coastal hutment dwellers to be moved to safer places.

Advisory

IMD recommends mobilising evacuation from coastal areas, avoiding vulnerable structures, regulating rail and road traffic and avoiding areas prone to waterlogging. Fisheries departments, ports and shipping operators have been asked to follow IMD’s latest area-specific warnings until 28 October.

Source: India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Press Release-5 dated 27 October 2026.