Cyclone Arnab is expected to bring heavy rainfall to several districts of West Bengal through October 31, while adverse weather has already disrupted flights at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, according to an India Meteorological Department bulletin and an airport release cited in a PTI report.
The cyclone made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam in the early hours of Wednesday as a “very severe” cyclonic storm. The IMD said the landfall process began around 1.20am, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125-135 kmph and gusts reaching 150 kmph.
Although the system crossed the coast in Andhra Pradesh, its influence has extended to West Bengal, where moderate to heavy rain was reported across coastal and parts of southern districts. Heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds affected coastal areas of South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur from Tuesday evening.
The IMD has forecast heavy rain in the coastal and western districts until Friday morning. Purba Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia are among the districts named in the forecast. The sub-Himalayan region, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, is expected to receive heavy rain until Saturday morning.
Kolkata recorded 19.1mm of rainfall between 5.30pm on Tuesday and 8.30am on Wednesday, according to the IMD bulletin. The city is likely to remain cloudy with light to moderate rainfall during Wednesday. The rainfall and gusty conditions raise immediate operational concerns for roads, airport access and surface mobility, although the supplied report does not provide details of urban flooding or road closures.
Several incoming and outgoing flights at Kolkata airport were cancelled or disrupted as a safety precaution because of the adverse weather conditions, an official release said. The report does not specify the number of flights affected or provide a revised schedule, leaving passengers dependent on airline and airport updates before travelling.
The weather system has also prompted a precautionary advisory for fishermen. They have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off the West Bengal coast until Thursday. The warning applies as the state’s coastal and western districts remain under the IMD’s heavy-rain forecast.
The next official milestones are the continuation of the IMD’s rainfall alerts through Friday morning in the coastal and western districts, through Saturday morning in the sub-Himalayan region, and the fishermen’s restriction until Thursday.
