Guwahati: The Centre has stepped up disaster preparedness as Cyclone Arnab is forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast as a very severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds gusting up to 140 kmph, by the forenoon of October 28.
Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Monday to review preparations and direct central and state agencies to prioritise the protection of lives, minimise damage to property and infrastructure, and ensure the swift restoration of essential services.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed the committee that a deep depression over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal had intensified into Cyclone Arnab.
At 5.30 am on Monday, the storm was centred over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, about 650 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 730 km east-southeast of Kakinada, the IMD said.
The cyclone is expected to move west-northwestwards until October 27 before turning northwest towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. It is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam on October 28 as a very severe cyclonic storm, according to the forecast.
The weather system is also expected to affect Telangana, southern Odisha and south and central Chhattisgarh. Heavy rainfall has been forecast in parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, prompting Somanathan to direct the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the IMD to issue appropriate alerts to the two states.
Chief secretaries and senior officials from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and the Union Territory of Puducherry briefed the committee on preparations, an official said.
State administrations have arranged shelters and evacuation facilities, placed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams on standby, and activated district control rooms to monitor the situation.
The NDRF has deployed teams in vulnerable areas, with additional personnel kept ready for immediate mobilisation. The Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard have also placed rescue and relief teams, ships and aircraft on standby.
The Coast Guard has escorted several ships and boats to jetties and shore, while other vessels have been alerted to return to the coast.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the southwest and adjoining central Bay of Bengal, or along and off the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Yanam, from October 26 to 29. Officials told the committee that fishermen already at sea had returned.
The Union Home Secretary said the MHA, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the IMD were continuously monitoring the situation and coordinating with state governments, central ministries and response agencies.
Somanathan stressed the need for close coordination among all agencies to prevent casualties and minimise damage. He also directed officials to ensure that essential services were restored promptly wherever disruptions occurred.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the states and Union Territory concerned, representatives of the ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Fisheries, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Power, as well as officials from the NDMA, NDRF, IMD, Indian Coast Guard and the armed forces.