IMD Warns of Flash Flood Risk in 13 AP Districts

Andhra Pradesh faces possible flash flood risk in 13 districts due to Cyclone Arnab, according to a warning issued by the IMD's Cyclone Warning Centre. This alert would be valid till 5.30 am on Thursday.

The districts which may get flash flood are Bapatla, Guntur, NTR, Krishna, Eluru, East Godavari, Kakinada, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Anakapalli, Parvathipuram Manyam and West Godavari districts.

“Under the influence of the very severe cyclonic storm ‘Arnab’, moderate to heavy flash flood risk is likely over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods,” the centre said in its latest bulletin.

It warned that surface runoff and inundation could occur in areas with saturated soil and in low-lying areas identified as vulnerable.

The centre issued a storm surge warning for the North Andhra coast and a large part of the Odisha coast from 11.30 am on Wednesday until 5.30 am on Thursday. Gale-force winds were forecast to reach speeds of up to 120 kmph.

The India Meteorological Department forecast squally weather, with winds reaching 50 kmph and gusting to 60 kmph, along the Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal coasts, as well as the northern Tamil Nadu coast, from 5.30 am on October 29 to 5.30 am on October 30.

Extremely heavy rainfall was recorded in Andhra Pradesh, while very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was reported in Odisha in the 24 hours until 8.30 am on Wednesday.

In Andhra Pradesh, Garividi recorded 26 cm of rainfall, followed by Anakapalli, Srungavarapukota, Vepada and Cheepurupalle, which received 25 cm each.

Bheemunipatnam, Mentada and Yelamanchili recorded 24 cm each, followed by Gantyada and Ranasthalam with 23 cm each. Gajapathinagaram, Nellimerla, Visakhapatnam and Merakamudidam received 22 cm each, while Chodavaram and Bondapalle recorded 21 cm each.

The maximum sustained wind speed recorded in the 24 hours until 8.30 am on Wednesday was 96 kmph at Machilipatnam, followed by 80 kmph each at Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, 70 kmph at Kalingapatnam, 45 kmph at Bapatla and 32 kmph at Kavali, according to the centre.

The IMD said Cyclone Arnab had completed its landfall by 8 am on Wednesday, with the storm's central region moving entirely over land.

The system continued to move northwestwards and was centred over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and the adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal at 8.30 am.

It was located about 20 km east-northeast of Narasapuram, 40 km southwest of Yanam, 60 km southwest of Kakinada, 90 km east-northeast of Machilipatnam, 120 km east of Gannavaram and 120 km southwest of Tuni.

The IMD said the system was likely to move north-northwestwards over the next 48 hours and weaken gradually. It was expected to weaken into a cyclonic storm within six hours and further into a deep depression over the subsequent six hours.

The trough extending from the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh coast to the cyclonic circulation associated with Arnab, up to 3.1 km above mean sea level, had become less marked, the director of the Amaravati Meteorological Centre said.

The IMD forecast heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in parts of Andhra Pradesh over the seven days from Wednesday to November 3.

It forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on Wednesday, accompanied by gale-force winds reaching 90 kmph. Extremely heavy rainfall was also likely at isolated places, along with thunderstorms and lightning over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema.

For Thursday, October 29, the IMD forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, along with thunderstorms and lightning over these areas and Rayalaseema.

From October 30 to November 3, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning were likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam. Heavy rainfall was also forecast at isolated places in these areas on November 1, 2 and 3.

Strong winds reaching speeds of up to 50 kmph were forecast until November 1.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu followed up a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah with a phone call, detailing the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab, according to a press release.

“Naidu requests Union Home Minister Amit Shah to extend necessary assistance from the Central Government to support relief, rehabilitation and restoration efforts in the cyclone-affected areas,” the release said.

A flash flood is a sudden, rapid and destructive flood that develops within minutes to a few hours of heavy rainfall, dam or levee failure, or the sudden blockage of waterways by ice or debris.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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