New Delhi: Cyclone Montha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm early Tuesday morning (October 28) as it moved northwestwards over the west-central Bay of Bengal, setting the stage for landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast by evening.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system was centred about 190 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam and 270 km from Kakinada at 5.30 am, with wind speeds expected to reach 100 kmph during landfall. A live tracker of the cyclone’s path and intensity can be viewed here:
Heavy Rain, Red Alerts Across Andhra and Odisha
Widespread rain and strong winds have already been reported in parts of north Tamil Nadu and southern Odisha as Montha gathers strength. The IMD issued a red alert for 19 districts across Andhra Pradesh, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas. An orange alert was sounded in Nandyal, Kadapa and Annamayya districts, while Kurnool, Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai and Chittoor remain under a yellow alert.
In Odisha, heavy rainfall lashed eight southern districts including Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, and Ganjam. The state government has moved thousands of residents from low-lying and landslide-prone regions to safety and deployed over 5,000 personnel from NDRF, ODRAF, and the Fire Services.
“The system is likely to cross the Andhra coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, by this evening or night, with wind speeds of 90–100 kmph gusting up to 110 kmph,” said IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty.
Disruptions to Transport and Coastal Preparations
East Coast Railway has cancelled 43 trains and diverted several others passing through Visakhapatnam to minimise disruption. Train operations are expected to continue until 4:00 pm Tuesday, after which many local and passenger services will remain suspended. Around 50 fishing boats from Andhra Pradesh are currently anchored at Gopalpur port in Odisha as a safety measure, while local fishermen have been advised to avoid venturing into the sea.
Meanwhile, officials in Andhra Pradesh have begun precautionary evacuations in low-lying areas such as Kothapatnam and 25 hamlets in Uppada. Jharkhand, too, remains on alert, with the IMD warning of heavy rainfall in several districts until October 31.
As Cyclone Montha edges closer to the coast, multiple states are on high alert, bracing for strong winds, flooding, and further rainfall through the midweek.
