Antarvedi (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 28 (ANI): A cargo vessel carrying sulphur reportedly drifted off course and ran aground in the sea near Antarvedi in Andhra Pradesh amid Cyclone Arnab, MMD Surveyor Dharmasastha said.
According to port officials, the vessel departed from Visakhapatnam but drifted off course after its engine reportedly failed. The ship subsequently ran aground near Antarvedi.
Port officials and maritime authorities are monitoring the situation. The condition of the vessel and the further course of action are expected to be assessed following an inspection by the concerned authorities, MMD Surveyor Dharmasastha said.
Meanwhile, very severe cyclonic storm Arnab completed its landfall along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, southwest of Yanam, by 8 am on Wednesday, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125–135 kmph and gusts up to 150 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
In a post on X, the IMD said the cyclone crossed the coast between 2 am and 8 am on October 28, with its centre moving completely over land by 8 am.
The weather agency said the system was centred over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and the adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal at 8:30 am, around 20 km east-northeast of Narsapur, 40 km southwest of Yanam, 60 km southwest of Kakinada, 90 km east-northeast of Machilipatnam, 120 km east of Gannavaram and 120 km southwest of Tuni.
The Andhra Pradesh government has been placed on high alert in view of Cyclone Arnab, with the state administration working round the clock to safeguard lives and minimise property damage, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated on Wednesday.No loss of life has been reported so far.
High-intensity sea waves and severe coastal erosion caused by the cyclone led to damage along the Uppada coastal road near Kakinada.
Restoration and repair works have already commenced in the area to restore connectivity and safeguard the coastline. (ANI)
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