Montha mayhem: Cyclone batters Andhra coast, leaves one dead

The first major cyclonic storm of the season, Cyclone Montha, struck the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada on Tuesday night, bringing with it wind speeds of over 100 kmph and heavy rainfall.

The storm caused widespread damage, uprooted trees, and disrupted power and transport. One woman was killed in Makanapalem village of Mamidikuduru mandal when a tree fell on her during the landfall.

Severe storm hits coastal Andhra

Cyclone Montha made landfall as a severe cyclonic storm around 7.30 pm, taking nearly four hours to cross the coast. The high winds uprooted trees and damaged power lines along Kakinada, Uppada, Thallarevu, Pithapuram, Thondangi, Yanam, Peddapuram, and other coastal areas.

Authorities deployed NDRF, SDRF, and fire service personnel to clear roads and assist stranded residents.

Cyclone Montha: Thousands evacuated from Andhra villages

The sea turned extremely rough near Uppada in Kakinada district, with waves as high as 10 feet crashing onto the coast. The beach road between Kakinada and Uppada was badly damaged, forcing police to shut it down for safety. In some low-lying areas, sea water entered homes, prompting mass evacuations.

According to the district officials, around 10,000 people, mostly fishermen families, were evacuated from 65 villages across 12 coastal mandals before the cyclone hit. Relief centres were opened to accommodate the displaced families, providing food and temporary shelter, The Times of India reported.

Relief and rescue operations

Kakinada district collector S Shan Mohan said rescue and relief teams have been mobilised across all affected mandals. “Helipads have been prepared for airlifting people if required. Over 200 swimmers and 140 boats are ready for relief and rescue operations,” he was quoted by TOI as saying.

In Konaseema district, around 1,200 residents from Katrenikona were shifted using boats. District collector R Mahesh Kumar confirmed the death of a woman, identified as Gudavalli Veeramani, in Makanapalem village after a tree collapsed on her.

Meanwhile, 12,135 people in Kakinada were moved to 76 cyclone relief centres. Medical and veterinary aid has also been arranged. “We’ve set up 259 medical camps with 185 doctors and 1,710 medical staff, and have stocked anti-rabies vaccines, anti-snake venom doses, and chlorine tablets,” said the collector. Over 1,000 cattle have also been shifted from flood-prone areas.

Transport and flight services disrupted

The heavy rains and winds also disrupted air connectivity in the region. Eight flights scheduled for Tirupati, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Mumbai at Rajahmundry airport were cancelled on Tuesday afternoon and evening. Only three morning flights managed to take off for Hyderabad and New Delhi before operations were halted due to bad weather.

Vehicular traffic was also hit across several coastal stretches, with police blocking access to damaged routes and urging citizens to stay indoors until conditions improved.

South Central Railway CPRO said that due to prevailing cyclonic conditions, Indian Railways has cancelled 122 trains by Tuesday late evening, while a few others have been regulated, rescheduled, or diverted. In total, around 160 trains have been affected.

In West Godavari district, 8,000 people were evacuated to 45 cyclone relief centres. Collector Ch Naga Rani said two APSP teams, three Greyhound teams, 36 NDRF, and 100 SDRF personnel are on standby. Villages like Vemula Deevi, Biyyapu Thippa, and Pedamainavani Lanka are expected to be most affected.

Officials said relief operations will continue for the next few days until normalcy returns. Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a red alert for the coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh, which also face the threat of flash floods.

A storm surge of about one metre above the astronomical tide is expected along the coast, which may inundate low-lying areas.