VISAKHAPTNAM: The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts southwest of Yanam on Wednesday morning and subsequently weakened into a Severe Cyclonic Storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
In its latest update, the IMD stated that Arnab crossed the coast about 20 km east-northeast of Narsapur, 40 km southwest of Yanam and 60 km southwest of Kakinada between 2 am and 8 am on Wednesday as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.
At the time of landfall, the system packed maximum sustained wind speeds of 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph.
The latest observations indicate that the landfall process has been completed, with the cyclone's centre moving entirely over land.
The six-hour-long landfall process explains the prolonged gale-force winds experienced along the coasts of West Godavari, Konaseema, Kakinada and Yanam through the early morning hours.
The system, which had remained practically stationary over the west-central Bay of Bengal close to the coast on Tuesday night, with wind speeds of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph, intensified marginally before landfall.
Visakhapatnam and adjoining coastal districts have been reporting heavy to very heavy rainfall and strong winds since Tuesday. According to the IMD's 5.30 am bulletin, cumulative rainfall of 216.9 mm was recorded at Visakhapatnam-Waltair. Kalingapatnam received 147.5 mm, Tuni 123.3 mm, Kakinada 118.4 mm and Machilipatnam 115.2 mm.
Low-lying areas of coastal Andhra Pradesh were expected to face inundation due to a storm surge of 1.0 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide during the landfall period.
With the cyclone's centre now over land, the IMD has downgraded the system to a Severe Cyclonic Storm. Further weakening is expected as it moves inland in a north-northwestward direction.
Power disruptions have been reported in Visakhapatnam and nearby areas, with outages persisting for nearly 24 hours in several pockets.
Two electrocuted in separate incidents
Two people, including a 55-year-old woman, died of electrocution in separate incidents in Andhra Pradesh during Cyclone Arnab, officials said on Wednesday.
A senior district official said a 53-year-old man died on Tuesday night after coming into contact with a live wire that snapped over an agricultural field channel in Visakhapatnam district.
In the second incident, a woman died after accidentally stepping on an exposed live wire outside her home in Yellamanchili town in Anakapalli district on Wednesday morning, police said.