Cyclonic Storm Montha over Bay of Bengal has moved northwestwards with a speed of 17 kmph and lies centred about 230 km south southeast of Machilipatnam and 310 km south south east of Kakinada. A red alert has been issued to Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and adjoining South Odisha Coasts. It is likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm today.
The Joint bulletin released by the Indian Meteorological Department and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has given a red warning to Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, adjoining South Odisha Coasts and Chhattisgarh till tomorrow.
Heavy rainfall is also expected over Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Telangana today. The storm is very likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada tonight with a sustained wind speed of up to 90 to 110 km per hour. Sea waves may rise up to 1.8 to 3.8 metres. The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture around these places till the 29th of this month.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, assuring central support. Mr Naidu reviewed preparedness and directed officials to shift people from low-lying areas to rehabilitation centres. The Chief Minister ordered the closure of schools in the affected districts. District Collectors and Special Officers are overseeing rescue and relief efforts, while NDRF and SDRF teams stand ready. South Central Railway, East Coast Railway and Air India Express have cancelled several services for today. Authorities urged citizens to stay indoors and follow safety advisories.
In Odisha, the state government has ramped up preparedness measures to tackle any potential impact from the impending storm. People living in low-lying areas are being shifted to cyclone shelter centres, and the state government plans to shift over 35,000 people to those centres by this morning.
Due to Montha’s impact, the southern and coastal districts of Odisha have been receiving rainfall since yesterday, with intermittent drizzle across many areas. The weather department has issued a red warning for eight southern districts of the state. Schools and Anganwadi centres in these districts have been closed for three days from today. Railways have cancelled 43 trains, and a few train routes have been diverted.
