At 10:30 a.m. on Oct 28, 2026, Cyclone Arnab’s eye passed over Chhattisgarh, scattering iron‑rich dust that painted the sky crimson. The IMD labeled the storm a "very severe cyclonic storm" and recorded 130 km/h winds as it made landfall on Andhra Pradesh’s coast. The sudden red haze, captured by residents of Dantewada and Kirandul, sparked a wave of Instagram posts and memes, as people tried to explain the apocalyptic tableau.
Dr. Neha Gupta, a climatologist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research, said the phenomenon occurs when strong winds lift soil laden with iron oxides high into the atmosphere, a pattern seen in Cyclone Narelle over Australia in May. Gupta noted that similar red skies have historically foreshadowed landfalls, but the colour itself poses no immediate danger, though it can impair visibility for pilots. Local authorities urged residents to stay indoors and monitor weather alerts.
In Andhra Pradesh, the cyclone hammered the coast, uprooting trees, flooding fields, and knocking out power lines. Five fatalities have been reported in separate incidents linked to the storm, including a fisherman who drowned off Pulicat and a farmer struck by a fallen tree in Bapatla. State officials have set up emergency shelters and deployed the army to assist displaced families.
The IMD expects the cyclone’s effects to linger until Oct 31, when wind speeds should drop below 90 km/h. The central government has pledged ₹4,200 crore for relief funds, and state governments are coordinating rescue missions across Bihar and Odisha. Citizens in the affected zones are being advised to keep emergency kits ready as the storm’s tail potentially extends into the plains.