Weather Alert / Cyclone Arnab Weakens into Deep Depression, Odisha Braces for Heavy Rain

Bhubaneswar, Oct 29: Cyclone Arnab has weakened into a deep depression over the adjoining regions of south Odisha, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, south Chhattisgarh and northeast Telangana, bringing some relief from the severe cyclonic threat.

However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue across several parts of Odisha.

According to the IMD, the system moved northwards at a speed of around 15 kmph during the past six hours.

Also read: Cyclone Arnab: Odisha Achieves Zero Casualty Goal

The weather system, which was active over the west-central Bay of Bengal adjoining the Andhra Pradesh coast and Yanam, has gradually lost strength and is expected to weaken further into a depression by Thursday morning and subsequently into a well-marked low-pressure area by evening.

Meteorologists are continuously monitoring the system using Doppler Weather Radars stationed at Gopalpur, Raipur and Sambalpur.

As of 11:30 pm on October 28, the centre of the deep depression lay about 60 km south of Malkangiri. It was also located around 90 km west-southwest of Paderu in Andhra Pradesh, 140 km south of Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh and 190 km east-northeast of Khammam in Telangana.

Despite the weakening of the system, the IMD has issued red alerts for six districts and orange alerts for 20 districts due to the possibility of intense rainfall and associated weather conditions. The situation remains particularly critical in Gajapati, Ganjam and Malkangiri districts.

For Thursday, orange warnings for heavy to very heavy rainfall have been issued for Baragada, Jharsuguda and Sundaragada districts. Yellow alerts have also been sounded for Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Debagada, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj and Baleshwar districts.