New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: According to the latest national weather bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the very severe cyclonic storm ‘Arnab’ [pronunciation: Ornab] is likely to make landfall during early hours between 2-4 am of October 28.

The bulletin added the cyclonic storm is interacting with the land surface and the outer spiral band has entered into the land. Due to the faster movement, the landfall of cyclone is expected early.

The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Arnab’ over Westcentral Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 18 kmph during past six hours, and lay centered at 1730 hrs IST of today over Westcentral Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh coast, about 90 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 170 km south-southwest of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 170 km east-northeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 240 km east-northeast of Bapatla (Andhra Pradesh), and 410 km southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha). 

It is very likely to continue to move nearly west-northwestwards during next few hours, then northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to south of Yanam.

When the very severe cyclonic storm will make landfall during early hours of October, 28 2026, the maximum sustained wind speed is likely to be 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph.