The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Sukma, Bastar, Bijapur, Kondagaon and Dantewada districts as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab advances towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, threatening southern Chhattisgarh with extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and powerful winds on Wednesday. The warning assumes significance following IMD’s latest evening assessment, which has revised the anticipated wind intensity across Chhattisgarh upwards. Gusty winds of 60 to 80 kilometres per hour, reaching 90 kmph, are now forecast at isolated places on October 28, against the earlier projection of gusts reaching 80 kmph.

 

According to the Meteorological Centre, Raipur, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at a few places across the State on Wednesday, while extremely heavy rainfall, exceeding 204.4 millimetres in 24 hours, is possible at isolated locations. The five southern districts fall under the highest warning category, indicating the need for precautionary action against potentially hazardous weather conditions. The latest bulletin, issued on Tuesday evening, places Cyclone Arnab over the west-central Bay of Bengal near latitude 16.2 degrees North and longitude 83.3 degrees East at 2.30 pm. The system had moved west-northwestwards at 18 kmph during the preceding six hours.

 

At that time, the cyclone was approximately 140 kilometres southeast of Kakinada, 170 kilometres south of Visakhapatnam, 230 kilometres east of Machilipatnam and 300 kilometres east-northeast of Bapatla. IMD expects the cyclone to move northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, south of Yanam, by Wednesday forenoon. Maximum sustained winds during landfall are now projected at 125 to 135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph, an upward revision from the earlier forecast of 115 to 125 kmph with gusts reaching 140 kmph. Although the cyclone’s projected landfall lies outside Chhattisgarh, its influence is expected to produce widespread rainfall across the State on October 28 and 29.

 

For Thursday, IMD forecasts heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and winds of 50 to 60 kmph. Northern Chhattisgarh also figures among the areas facing increased rainfall risk. The anticipated weather conditions could affect standing crops, disrupt road movement and cause waterlogging in vulnerable locations. Raipur is expected to experience generally cloudy skies with spells of rain or thundershowers during the next 48 hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures are forecast at approximately 26 and 22 degrees Celsius respectively. IMD has also projected a fall of 3 to 4 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures across Chhattisgarh over the next three days. With the cyclone approaching landfall, subsequent meteorological bulletins will remain crucial for district-level preparedness and precautionary measures.