Cyclone Montha to intensify into severe storm, Andhra braces for landfall tonight

As Cyclone Montha moves closer to the eastern coast, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to take immediate action to safeguard lives and minimise damage in coastal areas, a release said on Monday. As per the release, during a teleconference from the RTGS Centre at the Secretariat, the CM instructed district collectors and superintendents of police to “shift residents of vulnerable coastal areas to rehabilitation centres without any delay”.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rainfall alert for 23 districts of Rajasthan on Tuesday due to the impact of Cyclone Montha, which is influencing weather patterns over both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Several parts of the state, including Jaipur, witnessed light to moderate rain from Monday afternoon that persisted through the night.

The weather department has issued an 'orange' warning for the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and adjoining South Odisha, and placed seven other states — Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Bihar — on high alert for heavy rainfall at isolated places from October 28 to 30.

Under the influence of Cyclonic Storm 'Montha', Maharashtra's Vidarbha region is very likely to receive moderate to heavy rain between October 28 and 30, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. It issued a 'yellow' alert along with a forecast of heavy rainfall and thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50kmph in isolated places over Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Wardha, Washim, Yavatmal, Bhandara, Gondia and Nagpur.

The IMD said Cyclone Montha, which is likely to intensify over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, is expected to turn into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning while crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, around Kakinada, during the evening or night. The storm is expected to bring maximum sustained winds of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, and trigger widespread rainfall across eastern and southern India.

Odisha has deployed 123 fire service units across the state, prioritising eight districts classified as "red zones." The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams are equipped with rescue boats, motor rafts, power saws, and generators to carry out swift rescue and relief operations. Fire personnel are engaged in search-and-rescue, evacuation, debris clearance, and distribution of essential supplies.

The Odisha government was evacuating people from vulnerable places amid light rains in eight southern districts where a "red alert" has been issued as the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal on Monday intensified into cyclonic storm 'Montha'. Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari said officials, local people's representatives, Anganwadi workers, ASHA didis and others are convincing the people living in vulnerable areas to shift to safer places.

Cyclone Montha is likely to bring heavy rain in several districts across West Bengal from Tuesday to Friday. The IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) is likely over the north Bengal districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar, and heavy downpour is likely over Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda districts.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday directed officials to take precautionary measures in places where there is scope for rains and floods in light of cyclone Montha, which is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning. Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi spoke to CM Naidu over the phone and enquired about the cyclone, following which IT Minister Nara Lokesh has been asked to coordinate with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Schools and Anganwadi centres in Odisha will remain closed until October 30 due to the approaching cyclone Montha. The leaves of government employees in nine districts have also been cancelled to handle the emergency situation.

The Puri district administration has restricted tourist access to all sea beaches from October 27 to October 29 as a safety precaution.

The Andhra Pradesh government has drawn up an action plan to ensure relief measures and essential supplies as part of its pre-cyclone preparedness for Cyclone Montha. State Civil Supplies Minister N. Manohar said the action plan includes positioning stocks of Public Distribution System (PDS) commodities, managing fuel inventory, initiating paddy procurement, ensuring food supply to relief shelters, and coordinating post-cyclone relief distribution.

Ahead of the expected landfall of ‘severe’ Cyclone Montha, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Monday across seven coastal Andhra Pradesh districts — Kakinada, Konaseema, West Godavari, Krishna, Bapatla, Prakasam, and Nellore.

IMD has issued red alert for heavy rains in layashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mahabubabad districts of Telangana. An orange warning is in place for several other districts.

In its latest press release, the IMD said, “Extremely heavy rainfall (≥21 cm) likely at isolated places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam during 27th–29th and Telangana on 28th October.”

Apart from Puducherry, the IMD has placed Tamil Nadu’s Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, and Ranipetunder under orange alert for heavy rainfall.

The Odisha government has started evacuating people from vulnerable places and deployed 128 disaster response teams in eight southern districts of the state as the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal on Monday intensified into a cyclonic storm named 'Montha'. Keeping in view the formation of cyclone 'Montha', the state government has started the evacuation of people from vulnerable hilly and low-lying areas of eight southern districts, which could be impacted due to the impending calamity, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari said.

Amid heavy rain alerts, schools in Andhra Pradesh have been closed. Authorities have announced a two-day holiday in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, and West Godavari districts, which are likely to be the worst affected by the cyclone.

With Cyclone Montha expected to hit Andhra Pradesh severely, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has put the state’s administrative machinery on high alert.

CM Naidu conducted a teleconference with senior officials on Sunday to review the readiness of all government departments in anticipation of “heavy to very heavy rainfall and strong winds” across coastal districts from October 27 to 29.

Officials have been directed to coordinate relief efforts and ensure rapid action in response to any emergencies caused by the approaching storm.

The IMD has issued red and orange alerts for 23 of Andhra Pradesh’s 26 districts.

Red warnings, indicating extremely heavy rainfall, have been issued for SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, Krishna, West Godavari, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, and Kakinada.

The remaining districts, excluding Anantapur, Kurnool, and Sri Sathya Sai, have been placed under orange alerts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rain.

Tamil Nadu will likely see continued rainfall on Tuesday, with Tiruvallur district expected to bear the brunt of heavy to very heavy showers.

While most parts of the state will see light to moderate rain, the IMD has highlighted Tiruvallur for particularly intense rainfall. Other northern districts likely to witness heavy rain include Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, and Ranipet, while the southern districts of Tenkasi, the hilly areas of Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari are also expected to experience significant downpours.

Meanwhile, the IMD has forecast widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning across North and South Tamil Nadu, as well as the union territories of Puducherry and Karaikal.

The weather office has flagged the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, and Kanchipuram districts.

Heavy rain is also expected in Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Puducherry.

The Odisha government has begun evacuating residents from vulnerable areas and deployed 128 disaster response teams across eight districts.

The state has mobilised more than 5,000 personnel, including 24 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams, five NDRF teams, and 99 fire service units, for relief and rescue operations.

All districts have been instructed to prepare men and machinery to respond if the cyclone alters its course.

The state has ensured that food grain stocks for all fair price shops in coastal areas will be in place.

Mandal Level Stock Points (MLSPs) already hold sufficient supplies.

Officials reported that 40% of stock movement in coastal districts has been completed, and GPS exemptions have been granted for second-stage food grain transport, following requests from district collectors.

District authorities have been empowered to draw essential commodities from MLSPs for preparing meals in cyclone shelters and disaster camps, with expenditures allowed under Treasury Rule-27.

The Andhra Pradesh government has finalized an extensive pre-cyclone action plan to ensure relief, essential supplies, and smooth operations ahead of Cyclone Montha’s anticipated landfall.

State Civil Supplies Minister N. Manohar said the plan focuses on stock positioning of Public Distribution System (PDS) commodities, fuel inventory management, paddy procurement, food supply to relief shelters, and post-cyclone relief distribution.

Odisha is on high alert as the state braces for the impact of Cyclone Montha, which continues to intensify over the Bay of Bengal.

The state government has identified eight districts as “most vulnerable” and has launched extensive preparedness measures to minimise potential damage, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Sunday.

He added that expectant mothers due to deliver in the coming week have been relocated to Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) for safe deliveries.

Stocks of essential commodities have been secured to prevent shortages or price manipulation, while SDRF, NDRF, and fire service teams have been deployed across high-risk districts with additional forces on standby for rescue and relief operations.

IMD forecasts that Cyclone Montha will cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, around Kakinada, during the evening or night of October 28, bringing maximum sustained wind speeds of 90–100 km/h gusting up to 110 km/h.

Authorities have urged residents in coastal and low-lying areas to:

>> Secure loose objects and stock essential supplies.

>> Stay indoors during heavy rainfall and strong winds.

>> Follow official advisories and avoid unnecessary travel.

Senior IAS officer RP Sisodia will supervise operations along the West Godavari–Chittoor belt, while Ajay Jain will head the Visakhapatnam zone, covering districts from Srikakulam to Konaseema.

Other officers have been assigned to individual districts to ensure rapid response, loss assessment, compensation disbursement, and restoration of normalcy post-cyclone.

The Andhra Pradesh government has placed all coastal and adjoining districts on high alert and deployed senior IAS officers as Special Officers to oversee preparedness, relief, and rehabilitation efforts.

Chief Secretary K Vijayanand has directed the officers to reach their assigned districts immediately, establish Cyclone Control Rooms, and coordinate closely with District Collectors.

Disaster response forces across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu have been placed on high alert.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea between October 25–29 due to rough weather conditions.