Cyclone Arnab: Andhra districts shut schools October 27-28, Anakapalli till 29

District administrations in Andhra Pradesh have shut schools, and in several districts colleges as well, as Cyclone Arnab approaches the state's coast, according to reports published on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Holidays were declared in at least nine coastal districts, including Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Kakinada, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, East Godavari, Eluru, Polavaram, Krishna and NTR, mostly for October 27 and 28. In Anakapalli, the district collector ordered all government and private schools closed from October 27 to 29, the reports said.

When a severe storm nears the coast, the biggest risk for children is the journey, not the classroom. Strong winds can bring down trees, power lines and hoardings, and heavy rain can flood roads and low bridges within hours. Closing schools keeps lakhs of children and teachers off the roads during the most dangerous period.

The way the orders are being issued matters for families. Each district collector decides for that district, based on local rainfall and wind warnings. That is why the lists in different reports do not match, and why one district, Anakapalli, has a three-day holiday while most others have two. A holiday announced in one district does not automatically apply to schools in the next district, or to the whole state.

For students, these are lost teaching days in the middle of the academic term. Schools usually make up such days later through extra classes or by using reserve holidays, but those decisions come from the school education department and the institutions themselves after the weather clears. Students preparing for board examinations in the coming months may want to use the days at home for revision, if power and safety allow.

This order follows a similar decision in neighbouring Odisha, where schools and colleges in five districts were closed for October 28 and 29. Together, the two states' orders mean that a long stretch of the east coast will have schools shut during the storm.

What parents and students should do now: check the order issued by your own district collector or District Educational Officer, through the district's official website or local announcements, rather than relying on forwarded messages; confirm with your school whether the holiday covers your institution and how long it runs; and follow the instructions of the district administration and disaster management authorities on staying indoors.

Short-term: Schools in at least nine coastal districts, and in many places colleges and Anganwadi centres, are closed on October 27 and 28, with Anakapalli closed until October 29. Some districts may extend or lift holidays depending on the storm's track.

Long-term: Districts will need to recover the lost days in their academic calendars. Repeated storm closures on the coast also raise questions about how quickly classes can restart after a cyclone and how learning time is protected.

Who is affected: School and college students and teachers in the coastal districts, parents who must arrange care for children at home, Anganwadi workers and the children they serve, and district officials managing both relief and education.

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