Cyclone Montha update: Landfall process begins; Andhra, Odisha brace for impact

THE landfall process of Cyclone Montha has begun and will go on for the next three to four hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced.

“It will continue to move north-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the next 3-4 hours as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph,” the IMD said in a post on X.

Montha, which is a Thai word, means a fragrant flower.

The authorities have been taking safety measures and evacuating coastal settlements as the cyclone rages on. Several private airlines have also issued travel advisories for passengers.

A number of flights between Shamshabad Airport in Telangana and Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Rajahmundry airports in Andhra Pradesh have been cancelled in view of the impending cyclone.

Thirty IndiGo, two Air India and five Air India Express flights have been cancelled.

Heavy rainfall is expected in 39 constituencies of Andhra Pradesh. Keeping this in mind, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has instructed his ministers and officials to provide assistance to those affected.

Naidu has been reviewing the situation from the Real-Time Governance System (RTGS) control room.

Heavy rainfall is expected in Visakhapatnam, Krishna, Guntur, the erstwhile East and West Godavari districts, Prakasam, and Nellore districts.

While National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are operating in Uppada, residents of Kothapatnam village have been asked to vacate their houses.

ANI quoted an NDRF officer as saying, "The team is deployed here for 24 hours. We came here two days ago. I visited here yesterday as well. The areas that I feel need evacuation, and people need to be taken to shelters, we are campaigning there. The cyclone is hitting this evening. There is no need to panic. We are coordinating with the local administration. I appeal to the people to reach shelters and cooperate with us."

More than 800 relief camps have been set up across Andhra, while pregnant women have been admitted to hospitals.

As many as 1,000 electricians are stationed in the Kakinada district to ensure an uninterrupted power supply throughout the night.

Fifty fishing boats that had reached Odisha from Andhra could not return on time and have been anchored at the harbour of Gopalpur port as a safety measure.

Odisha BJP MLA Krushna Chandra Nayak said, as per ANI, "All arrangements have been made for the cyclone. The Odisha CM has given instructions to the District Administration to be alert. The District Administration has taken all steps for the cyclone."