Cyclone Montha over the Bay of Bengal is intensifying rapidly and is expected to make landfall near Kakinada on Tuesday night as a severe cyclonic storm, according to officials of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA).
The IMD has issued a red alert for several coastal districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall and strong winds reaching speeds of up to 110 kmph. The state government has placed all coastal districts on high alert and initiated precautionary measures to mitigate potential damage.
As per APSDMA, the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal strengthened into a cyclonic storm early Monday and is moving at a speed of 15 kmph. The cyclone’s centre is currently located about 560 km from Chennai, 620 km from Kakinada, and 650 km from Visakhapatnam, APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain stated.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts that the system will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning before crossing the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, close to Kakinada, on Tuesday night. Coastal areas are expected to experience wind speeds ranging between 90 and 110 kmph, accompanied by heavy rainfall and rough sea conditions.
Authorities have advised fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea, and all beach tourism activities have been suspended. Danger signal number one has been hoisted at all major ports along the coast. The APSDMA has urged citizens not to become complacent, warning that calm weather conditions ahead of the cyclone’s arrival could be misleading.
A red alert has been issued for seven districts on Monday, while 16 districts are under orange alert and three under yellow alert. For Tuesday, the IMD has extended the red alert to 16 districts, predicting widespread rainfall and strong winds.
District administrations in Vizianagaram, Anakapalle, Krishna, NTR, West Godavari, East Godavari, and Eluru have declared a three-day holiday for all educational institutions starting Monday. These areas have already begun experiencing moderate rain and winds around 40 kmph.
Minister for Home and Disaster Management V. Anitha stated that the government has taken proactive steps to prevent loss of life and property. To address potential communication disruptions, satellite phones have been distributed to key district officials.
The state government has cancelled all official leaves and released ₹19 crore for relief operations. In total, 219 cyclone shelters have been activated across 57 coastal mandals to accommodate affected residents. Nine teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and seven teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed to vulnerable areas.
Departments including irrigation, civil supplies, medical and health, and electricity have been put on standby for emergency relief and restoration activities. APSDMA has also opened a state control room with helpline numbers 112, 1070, and 18004250101, while collectorates in 12 coastal districts have established local control rooms to coordinate disaster response.
Officials continue to monitor Cyclone Montha’s trajectory closely, with updates expected as it nears the Andhra coast.
