Cyclone Arnab Looms? Odisha Shuts Schools Amid Deep Depression Warning!

A deep depression brewing over the Bay of Bengal has put the coastal states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on high alert, with meteorologists predicting heavy rainfall and strong winds. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of a potential cyclonic storm, which, if it intensifies, will be named 'Arnab'. The name 'Arnab', meaning "ocean" in Bengali, was contributed by Bangladesh to the regional cyclone naming roster.

In response to the IMD's forecast, authorities in Odisha have taken swift precautionary measures, declaring school closures in several districts. Schools and Anganwadi centres in Khurda, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, and Gajapati districts will remain shut for the next two to three days.

This includes both government and private educational institutions.

The IMD anticipates some areas could receive up to 20 cm of rain, coupled with winds gusting between 55-65 kmph from Tuesday evening.

Scientists have cautioned that the torrential downpour could significantly raise river water levels and cause widespread flooding in low-lying areas, especially in regions already saturated by previous rains. This poses a considerable risk to public safety and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, north coastal Andhra Pradesh, including Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, is also bracing for heavy to very heavy rainfall and winds of 40 to 60 kmph, bringing relief from earlier heat but also potential hazards.

The IMD classifies low-pressure systems based on their intensity. A low-pressure area has one closed isobar, a depression has two, and a deep depression has three.

A system escalates to a cyclonic storm when it shows four or more closed isobars.

In terms of wind speed, a depression has maximum sustained three-minute surface winds of 31-50 kmph, a deep depression 52-61 kmph. Only when winds reach 63 kmph or more is a system officially classified as a cyclonic storm. Therefore, while a deep depression is serious, it doesn't automatically mean a cyclone will form; it must intensify further to cross that threshold.

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