A deep depression bearing down on the Bay of Bengal coast is on track to cross the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast by the night of September 23, the India Meteorological Department said, as orange alerts went up across six states and red alerts remained active in two Andhra districts.&nbsp;The IMD placed the depression near latitude 17.9°N and longitude 85.8°E — about 180 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, 180 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam, 210 km south of Puri, and 270 km east of Visakhapatnam. The system had slowed to 8 kmph over the previous six hours, down from 18 kmph earlier in the day. The IMD said it "is very likely to move west-northwestwards &amp; intensify into a deep depression" over the next 12 hours before crossing the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur by the night of September 23, effectively confirming landfall before midnight tomorrow.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-on-nations-to-quit-rogue-and-out-of-control-international-criminal-court-rips-un-1790102584297">Trump calls on nations to quit ‘rogue’ and ‘out-of-control’ International Criminal Court, rips UN</a>&nbsp;A district-wise IMD nowcast issued at 10 pm, valid through 1 am on September 23, placed eleven districts of coastal and northern Andhra Pradesh, including Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Kakinada and East and West Godavari, under an orange alert for thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds of 40–60 kmph and moderate to intense rain of 5–15 mm/hour.&nbsp;&nbsp;Eleven Odisha districts, among them Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Kalahandi and Balangir, were placed under the same warning level. The nowcast's reach extended well beyond the immediate cyclone belt, with orange alerts also issued for districts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Maharashtra, including Pune, Raigad and Thane — underlining how far this weather system's influence is being felt inland.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strike-a-deal-or-drive-iran-into-hell-trump-issues-fresh-warning-to-tehran-at-unga-1790090594288">‘Strike a deal or drive Iran into hell’: Trump issues fresh warning to Tehran at UNGA</a>&nbsp;No district was placed under the more severe red warning in this nowcast window, though red alerts issued earlier in the day for Srikakulam and Vizianagaram remain in force. The IMD's advisory urged people to stay alert, avoid sheltering under trees or weak structures, and steer clear of flood- or landslide-prone areas.&nbsp;The system has not yet been officially classified as a cyclone; that designation requires sustained winds of at least 63 kmph, and the depression remains below that mark. Should it cross the threshold, it will be named Arnab, the first cyclone in the North Indian Ocean since Cyclone Ditwah killed more than 600 people across Sri Lanka and India in November 2025.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-will-stand-by-its-security-commitments-to-saudi-arabia-says-marco-rubio-1790084064717">‘US will stand by its security commitments to Saudi Arabia,’ says Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;Fishermen across West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh have been told to stay ashore until Friday, and Odisha has closed schools in several districts. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the IMD had only indicated the system "could intensify into a deep depression, but not a cyclone," even as she confirmed emergency personnel remain on standby.

Fishermen across West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh have been told to stay ashore until Friday, and Odisha has closed schools in several districts. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the IMD had only indicated the system “could intensify into a deep depression, but not a cyclone.”

A deep depression bearing down on the Bay of Bengal coast is on track to cross the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast by the night of September 23, the India Meteorological Department said, as orange alerts went up across six states and red alerts remained active in two Andhra districts. The IMD placed the depression near latitude 17.9°N and longitude 85.8°E — about 180 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, 180 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam, 210 km south of Puri, and 270 km east of Visakhapatnam. The system had slowed to 8 kmph over the previous six hours, down from 18 kmph earlier in the day. The IMD said it "is very likely to move west-northwestwards & intensify into a deep depression" over the next 12 hours before crossing the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur by the night of September 23, effectively confirming landfall before midnight tomorrow. Also Read: Trump calls on nations to quit ‘rogue’ and ‘out-of-control’ International Criminal Court, rips UN A district-wise IMD nowcast issued at 10 pm, valid through 1 am on September 23, placed eleven districts of coastal and northern Andhra Pradesh, including Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Kakinada and East and West Godavari, under an orange alert for thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds of 40–60 kmph and moderate to intense rain of 5–15 mm/hour. Eleven Odisha districts, among them Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Kalahandi and Balangir, were placed under the same warning level. The nowcast's reach extended well beyond the immediate cyclone belt, with orange alerts also issued for districts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Maharashtra, including Pune, Raigad and Thane — underlining how far this weather system's influence is being felt inland. Also Read: ‘Strike a deal or drive Iran into hell’: Trump issues fresh warning to Tehran at UNGA No district was placed under the more severe red warning in this nowcast window, though red alerts issued earlier in the day for Srikakulam and Vizianagaram remain in force. The IMD's advisory urged people to stay alert, avoid sheltering under trees or weak structures, and steer clear of flood- or landslide-prone areas. The system has not yet been officially classified as a cyclone; that designation requires sustained winds of at least 63 kmph, and the depression remains below that mark. Should it cross the threshold, it will be named Arnab, the first cyclone in the North Indian Ocean since Cyclone Ditwah killed more than 600 people across Sri Lanka and India in November 2025. Also Read: ‘US will stand by its security commitments to Saudi Arabia,’ says Marco Rubio Fishermen across West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh have been told to stay ashore until Friday, and Odisha has closed schools in several districts. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the IMD had only indicated the system "could intensify into a deep depression, but not a cyclone," even as she confirmed emergency personnel remain on standby.

Fishermen across West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh have been told to stay ashore until Friday, and Odisha has closed schools in several districts. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the IMD had only indicated the system “could intensify into a deep depression, but not a cyclone.”

Cyclone Arnab: Landfall expected before midnight tomorrow as IMD issues orange alerts across six states

Heavy rain triggered landslips, flash floods, and widespread destruction, particularly in hilly regions, claiming the lives of at least 8 people in Kerala. The rain-related incidents occurred in the state as a spell of heavy rain battered the State from Friday (July 31, 2026) night into Saturday (August 1, 2026). Over 500 people have been shifted to relief camps as rescue operations continue.&nbsp;The destruction followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad. Meanwhile, Chief Minister VD Satheeshan contacted the Revenue Minister, the Chief Secretary, and the District Collectors in the wake of the heavy rains continuing across Kerala and multiple reports of landslips and mudslides in some places in the state.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-mps-protest-in-parliament-over-jharkhand-paper-leak-as-student-agitation-swell-in-state-what-exactly-happened-1785630355416">BJP MPs protest in Parliament over Jharkhand paper leak as student agitation swell in state: What exactly happened?</a><h3>Orange alert issued</h3>Following the development, the IMD issued orange alerts for all Districts of Kerala other than Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, as of 10 p.m. on Saturday (August 1, 2026). In addition, the Travancore Devaswom Board has issued a security alert for devotees planning to visit Sabarimala on August 2 and 3, 2026, advising them to reconsider the visit. Meanwhile, water levels in the Idukki reservoir rose by nearly 6 feet over 24 hours. The level reached 2,336.04 ft as of 1:00 p.m. today, up from 2,330.90 ft recorded at 7:00 a.m. the previous day. According to a Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) dam safety official, the reservoir's catchment area received 154 mm of rainfall during this period. The official also pointed out that on August 7, 2020, the dam saw a single-day rise of 6.18 ft in storage, followed by an additional 5.5 ft increase the next day. “That was the highest inflow to the dam in recent memory. In 2020, the water level rose from 2,347 ft to 2,353 ft in a single day, driven by 226 mm of rainfall in the catchment areas. As the reservoir level rises, the surface area expands, meaning a larger volume of water is required to achieve each additional foot of storage,” the official explained.

The destruction due to rainwater followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad. 

Heavy rain triggered landslips, flash floods, and widespread destruction, particularly in hilly regions, claiming the lives of at least 8 people in Kerala. The rain-related incidents occurred in the state as a spell of heavy rain battered the State from Friday (July 31, 2026) night into Saturday (August 1, 2026). Over 500 people have been shifted to relief camps as rescue operations continue. The destruction followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad. Meanwhile, Chief Minister VD Satheeshan contacted the Revenue Minister, the Chief Secretary, and the District Collectors in the wake of the heavy rains continuing across Kerala and multiple reports of landslips and mudslides in some places in the state. Also read: BJP MPs protest in Parliament over Jharkhand paper leak as student agitation swell in state: What exactly happened? Orange alert issued Following the development, the IMD issued orange alerts for all Districts of Kerala other than Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, as of 10 p.m. on Saturday (August 1, 2026). In addition, the Travancore Devaswom Board has issued a security alert for devotees planning to visit Sabarimala on August 2 and 3, 2026, advising them to reconsider the visit. Meanwhile, water levels in the Idukki reservoir rose by nearly 6 feet over 24 hours. The level reached 2,336.04 ft as of 1:00 p.m. today, up from 2,330.90 ft recorded at 7:00 a.m. the previous day. According to a Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) dam safety official, the reservoir's catchment area received 154 mm of rainfall during this period. The official also pointed out that on August 7, 2020, the dam saw a single-day rise of 6.18 ft in storage, followed by an additional 5.5 ft increase the next day. “That was the highest inflow to the dam in recent memory. In 2020, the water level rose from 2,347 ft to 2,353 ft in a single day, driven by 226 mm of rainfall in the catchment areas. As the reservoir level rises, the surface area expands, meaning a larger volume of water is required to achieve each additional foot of storage,” the official explained.

The destruction due to rainwater followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad.&nbsp;

Kerala rains updates: 8 dead, over 500 shifted to relief camps amid fresh floods; IMD issues 'orange' alert

imd-orange-alert

Imd Orange Alert, News on Imd Orange Alert, stories on Imd Orange Alert, articles on Imd Orange Alert, Imd Orange Alert stories at Wion, Imd Orange Alert news, Imd Orange Alert latest news

imd orange-alert

Cyclone Arnab: Landfall expected before midnight tomorrow as IMD issues orange alerts across six states

Kerala rains updates: 8 dead, over 500 shifted to relief camps amid fresh floods