← 28 October 2026's Current Affairs · Environment GA Prelims ★★★☆☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆
Cyclone Arnab makes landfall; Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on alert
Why in News?
47,830 evacuated, but who names the cyclone? The IMD-WMO naming list GS1 answers need
Cyclone Arnab forces evacuations in Odisha and suspension of airport operations in Andhra Pradesh.
Why it matters: general awareness
What you need to know
2 min read
Cyclone Arnab, a severe tropical cyclone over the Bay of Bengal, triggered heavy rain in Odisha, where 47,830 people were evacuated, and put Andhra Pradesh on alert.
The Aviation Ministry suspended operations at three Andhra airports and many trains and flights were cancelled.
The name was proposed by Bangladesh and means ocean in Bengali, in line with the regional naming list for the North Indian Ocean.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- Cyclone Arnab: severe tropical cyclone over the Bay of Bengal; 47,830 people evacuated in Odisha
- Aviation Ministry suspended operations at three Andhra Pradesh airports; many trains and flights cancelled
- Name 'Arnab' was proposed by Bangladesh and means ocean in Bengali
- Names follow the regional list for the North Indian Ocean, used by IMD
- IMD is a WMO Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre for tropical cyclone advisories
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- IMD is one of the WMO's Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres issuing tropical cyclone advisories for the North Indian Ocean.
- Cyclone names in the North Indian Ocean come from a list proposed by member countries, not allotted by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- The name Arnab was proposed by Bangladesh and means ocean in Bengali.
Mains
GS1 (Geography) and GS3 (Disaster Management): cyclones in the Bay of Bengal repeatedly hit Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The issue is early warning, mass evacuation and protection of infrastructure like airports and rail; the framework is the Disaster Management Act, 2005 with NDMA and IMD advisories. The way forward lies in resilient coastal infrastructure, last-mile warning dissemination and community preparedness.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Regarding tropical cyclones over the North Indian Ocean, consider the following statements:
- The India Meteorological Department is one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres of the WMO for cyclone advisories.
- Names of cyclones are allotted by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: A — The correct answer is 1 only. Statement 1 is true because IMD is a WMO Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre; names come from a list proposed by member countries and used by IMD, so statement 2 is false.
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