Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday instructed officials to take precautionary measures in areas susceptible to heavy rainfall and flooding, in light of Cyclone Montha, which is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Naidu over the phone and enquired about the cyclone. Subsequently, IT Minister Nara Lokesh was asked to coordinate with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
The Chief Minister held a review meeting with officials via the Real Time Governance System (RTGS). "The CM ordered advance action in places where rains and floods are likely. He told officials to strengthen the banks of canals to prevent crop loss," an official release stated. Naidu also instructed officials to monitor the cyclone’s movement hourly.
The cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region are given names from a predetermined list submitted by countries in the region. The name Montha was suggested by Thailand, one of the 13 member countries that contribute to naming cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region. Montha means fragrant flower or beautiful flower in the Thai language.
Under the influence of the cyclone, heavy to very heavy rains are anticipated in Krishna district for two days starting from Monday, the release said. Similarly, rains are also expected in Guntur, Bapatla, NTR, Palnadu, and West Godavari districts.
Preparedness and impact across states
Andhra Pradesh’s NTR District Collector G Lakshmisha said full-fledged cyclone preparedness measures are underway, with alerts issued from field to district levels. Around 118 rehabilitation centres have been set up for evacuees. Vulnerable spots like weak buildings and old trees are being cleared, and residents from landslide-prone areas are being shifted to safety. Medical, agriculture, electricity, and fire departments are on the ground to handle any emergencies. Andhra Pradesh's Anakapalli district administration has declared a three-day holiday for all educational institutions from October 27 to 29 due to the cyclone.
The weather system is later expected to move further north-northwestwards to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, during the evening and night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of up to 110 kmph.
Cyclone Montha over the Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28th morning, likely making landfall near Kakinada.
Andhra Pradesh has been put on alert while Odisha, Telangana, and Chennai are also bracing for strong winds and rainfall as the system moves north-northwestward.
Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state has identified eight vulnerable districts and activated full preparedness for the cyclone.
The IMD (India Meteorological Department) said the cyclone is likely to bring heavy rain across several West Bengal districts from Tuesday to Friday. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in North Bengal’s Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Jalpaiguri, while South Bengal may see moderate to heavy rain.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea until Thursday, with warnings issued for possible landslides and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said Cyclone Montha is not expected to cause a major impact in the state as it moves toward Andhra, though 5–7 cm of rain is likely in North Chennai and Tiruvallur. He said the Chief Minister has instructed officials to expedite precautionary works, with 331 km of canals desilted, 18 canals and 13 ponds cleaned, and 3.5 lakh tonnes of waste removed.
Southern Railway has announced the cancellation of two train services due to Cyclone Montha: the Visakhapatnam–Chennai Central Superfast Express (22869) scheduled for October 27 and the Chennai Central–Visakhapatnam Express (22870) scheduled for October 28 have been fully cancelled, according to Chief PRO M Senthamil Selvan.
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