Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on Tuesday, disrupting life across the southern state. Its impact was also felt in neighbouring Odisha, where normal life came to a halt in 15 districts. In Konaseema district, an elderly woman lost her life after a tree collapsed on her house during the storm. In another incident, strong winds uprooted coconut trees, injuring a young boy and an auto driver.
The landfall process will continue for about four hours, bringing intense rain and winds of 90–100 kmph, with gusts up to 110 kmph. The weather department has issued red alerts for 19 districts in Andhra Pradesh, warning of very heavy rainfall. Neighboring states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, and Karnataka are also likely to see moderate to heavy showers.
In view of the severe weather, Indian Railways has cancelled, diverted, and rescheduled several passenger trains across the Waltair Division of the East Coast Railway Zone.
Coastal roads damaged; ports hoist great danger signals
The IMD has issued red alerts for coastal districts that face a high risk of flash floods. A storm surge of around one metre above the normal tide is expected along the coast, which could flood low-lying areas. Heavy rains and strong winds are hitting districts like Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Nellore, Konaseema, and Kakinada.
High tidal waves have damaged the Uppada–Kakinada beach road, forcing authorities to close it for traffic.
At Kakinada Port, great danger signal number 10 has been hoisted, which is the highest warning level for ports during severe cyclones. Signal number nine is in place at Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Kalingapatnam, and Bheemunipatnam ports, while signal number eight has been issued at Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam, Krishnapatnam, and Vadarevu ports.
Also Read: Cyclone Montha landfall today; heavy rain hits coastal AP, Odisha
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