Updated October 26: Cyclone Arnab formed early on October 26 over the east-central Bay of Bengal. At 5:30 AM IST on October 26 it was near latitude 15.4 degrees North and longitude 88.9 degrees East, about 650 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, moving west at 15 kmph. The India Meteorological Department expects it to become a severe cyclonic storm by midnight on October 26 and a very severe cyclonic storm on October 27, crossing the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of October 28, with maximum sustained winds of 115-125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph. IMD has issued a red-message warning for Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts, and warned of a 1.5-metre storm surge near Kakinada and Yanam at landfall. Extremely heavy rain is expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh on October 27-28 and in Odisha on October 28. Forecasts can change — follow IMD and state advisories.
Earlier: Cyclone Arnab: Odisha, Andhra landfall — full news report
Cyclone Arnab will bring its worst weather between October 27 and 29. This is the practical guide to those three days: which districts face the heaviest rain, where schools are shut, where to get official help, and what coastal families in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh should do now.
Updated: October 26, 2026, 10:15 IST
Quick Read:
- Landfall is expected on the forenoon of October 28, between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, with winds of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph.
- Odisha has shut schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres in five districts for October 28 and 29.
- A red warning is in force, with more than 20 cm of rain possible in the worst-hit areas.
October 27-29: district rain list
Landfall is expected on the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam on the forenoon of October 28. Coastal districts along that stretch will face the strongest winds and heaviest rain first.
Odisha’s southern districts are next in line. Five are under the closest watch — Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri — where the state has ordered closures and very heavy rain is likely as the storm’s outer bands sweep through.
October 27 is the build-up day, with winds picking up and rain spreading. October 28 is the landfall day — the most dangerous day. October 29 is the clean-up risk day: winds ease, but rain may continue and flooded roads will still be a danger.
Red warning: what it means
A red warning is the IMD’s highest alert level: dangerous weather is expected, and people should act now. Here it covers damaging winds and very heavy rain — more than 20 cm in some places.
Rain of that size floods low-lying streets fast, cuts roads and swells rivers. A few hours of intense downpour can make a road impassable. If you live in one of the five Odisha districts, or in a coastal Andhra district near the landfall stretch, treat October 28 as a stay-indoors day.
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Schools shut on October 28 and 29
Odisha has ordered schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres shut in five districts for October 28 and 29. The districts are Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri.
Anganwadi centres serve small children and mothers, so shutting them keeps the youngest indoors during the worst weather. The same logic applies to schools and colleges: no student should travel when winds cross 100 kmph.
The two-day closure also gives officials a buffer. Even after the storm passes, they need a day to check school buildings, clear fallen trees from routes, and restore power before children return.
Parents should follow their district administration’s announcements for any extension.
Control rooms and helplines
Every affected district runs a control room — the district office’s emergency desk, which tracks the storm, coordinates rescue teams, and takes calls about flooding, fallen trees or power cuts.
District helpline numbers are published by each district administration and the state emergency operations centre. Get your district’s number from an official source: your district collector’s office notice or the state government’s announcements. Do not trust a number forwarded on social media unless it matches an official notice.
For a life-threatening emergency anywhere in India, dial 112, the national emergency number. It connects to police, fire and ambulance services. For weather information, the IMD’s updates are the official source, not viral posts or videos.
Rescue teams are already being placed across the southern districts. One note: reports differ on team counts — CNBC-TV18 cites 60 ODRAF, 17 NDRF and 225 Fire teams, while OrissaPOST cites 24 ODRAF and 6 NDRF teams, possibly counting deployed and standby teams differently.
Safety checklist for coastal families
Work through this list before the evening of October 27:
- Charge all phones fully, and keep a power bank charged if you have one.
- Store drinking water for two days, plus basic food that needs no cooking.
- Keep medicines, important documents and some cash in a waterproof bag.
- Move loose items from balconies and rooftops inside — in 140 kmph gusts, they become flying objects.
- Stay away from the sea. Fishermen should not go out, and no one should visit beaches to watch the storm.
- If officials ask your area to move to a shelter, go early. Do not wait for the water to rise.
- After the storm, stay away from fallen power lines and flooded roads. Do not wade through floodwater — it can hide open drains and live wires.
What happens next
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has set a zero-casualty aim for Odisha — the goal that no one dies in the storm. After landfall, the storm will weaken inland, but rain may continue for a day or more, and restoring power and clearing roads will be the first job once winds drop.
The IMD’s updates over the next 48 hours are the next hard fact. If the storm’s track shifts, the districts at risk will change with it — so keep watching the official forecast, not just today’s map.
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FAQ
Which districts face the heaviest rain?
The coastal Andhra districts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam face the landfall, while Odisha’s Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri are under a red warning, with over 20 cm of rain possible in the worst-hit areas.
Are schools closed on October 28 and 29?
Yes, in Odisha’s five districts listed above, schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres are shut for both days. Follow your district administration’s announcements for any extension.
Where do I find my district’s helpline number?
From official sources only: your district collector’s office notice or the state emergency operations centre’s announcements. For a life-threatening emergency, dial 112 anywhere in India. This article prints no district numbers because none were officially supplied — a wrong number in a storm is worse than no number.
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