Cyclone ‘Arnab’ Live Updates: Deep Depression Near Odisha-Andhra Coast, Landfall Likely Tonight; Heavy Rain Alert Issued

Cyclone ‘Arnab’ Live Updates: Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are on alert as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moves towards the coast, bringing the threat of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. The system is currently not a cyclonic storm, but the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said it could intensify into a cyclone. If it does, it will be named Arnab, according to the North Indian Ocean cyclone naming roster.

The IMD said the system was centred at 5:30 am on Wednesday about 70 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, 150 km south of Gopalpur in Odisha, 150 km east-northeast of Visakhapatnam and 230 km south-southwest of Puri.

The system is expected to make landfall along the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur, between Wednesday night and the early hours of September 24.

Schools have been shut in at least seven Odisha districts, while government officials’ leave has been cancelled as authorities step up preparations.