India, Oct. 27 -- Odisha on Tuesday stepped up its preparedness for the very severe cyclonic storm Arnab over the west-central Bay of Bengal, deploying multiple rescue teams from the fire services, ODRAF, and NDRF in view of heavy rainfall warnings across southern districts.

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The cyclonic storm is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast near Yanam on Wednesday forenoon, with winds of up to 140 kmph.

The India Meteorological Department in its latest bulletin on October 26, said the storm was located about 400 km south-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha. It is likely to move northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam arou...