Photo: Collected
The deep depression over the east-central and south-eastern parts of the Bay of Bengal has turned into a cyclone and is moving towards the coast. Within today or tomorrow, it may intensify into the very severe cyclone ‘Arnab’ and hit India’s Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, 28 October.
The Meteorological Department gave the information in a special bulletin at 9:30am today (Monday).
According to the bulletin, the deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal moved north-westwards, intensified and turned into cyclone ‘Arnab’. It is now over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal. At 6am today, the cyclone was 820 km south-west of Chattogram seaport, 745 km south-west of Cox’s Bazar seaport, 785 km south of Mongla seaport and 745 km south of Payra seaport.
The Meteorological Department says that moving west and north-west, it may turn into a severe cyclone over the west-central Bay of Bengal by midnight today. It may then move north-west and cross India’s Andhra coast as a very severe cyclone on 28 October (Wednesday). Maximum sustained wind speed within 54 km of the cyclone centre is 62 km per hour, rising to 88 km per hour in gusts or squalls. The sea is very rough near the centre. Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra seaports have been advised to lower distant cautionary signal No 1 and hoist distant warning signal No 2.
The Meteorological Department’s special bulletin advised all fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay of Bengal to stay close to the coast and proceed with caution until further notice.
Background
The Meteorological Department had said in its long-range forecast for October that two to three low-pressure areas could form over the Bay of Bengal this month, one of which could turn into a depression or cyclone, bdnews24.com reported on 1 October.
At a glance
According to a Khobor Sangjog report of 19 September, the name ‘Arnab’ was given by Bangladesh.
Sources
Original report: Ajker Patrika
Background sources: bdnews24.com, 1 October 2026; Khobor Sangjog, 19 September 2026
