Cyclone Montha Nears Landfall; Torrential Rains Pound Andhra and Odisha Coasts

Cyclone Montha Turns Severe; Andhra, Odisha Brace for Landfall and Heavy Rain.

Cyclone Montha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal on Monday, prompting high alerts in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Authorities rushed to evacuate thousands as the system moved closer to land, expected to make landfall near Kakinada late Monday night with winds reaching up to 110 kmph.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Montha was located about 190 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam and 340 km south of Visakhapatnam on Monday morning. The storm is forecast to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam by this evening or night, bringing intense rain and gale-force winds.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured all possible central assistance to Andhra Pradesh as the state contends with flooding, high tides and coastal disruption.

Andhra Pradesh

Outer rain bands from Montha have already lashed coastal Andhra, paralysing life in Chittoor, Tirupati and Kakinada districts.

In Nagari constituency (Chittoor), heavy rainfall has persisted for four days, submerging roads and isolating rural areas such as Thiruttani and Pallipattu. Authorities released 1,000 cusecs of water from the Krishnapuram reservoir as a precaution and diverted traffic away from swollen rivers.

In Kakinada, strong winds battered the coast, with rough seas and erosion reported near Uppada. Waves advanced inland, forcing the evacuation of families from Uppada, Subbampet, Mayapatnam and Suradapet. Disaster management teams remain on standby along the 75-km coastal stretch of Tirupati district, expected to bear the brunt of the cyclone.

Odisha

While the cyclone’s core will hit Andhra, Odisha is preparing for severe spillover effects. The state has issued a red alert in eight southern districts — Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi and Kandhamal — forecasting heavy rain and gusty winds from Tuesday.

“Our target is zero casualty,” said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, who oversaw evacuation measures.

Odisha has opened 1,445 cyclone shelters and deployed 140 rescue teams from the NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services. Around 32,000 people from low-lying areas are being evacuated, with special precautions taken in Gajapati’s hilly regions prone to landslides.

West Bengal

The IMD warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms in southern West Bengal starting Tuesday, particularly in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, South 24 Parganas, and the Medinipur districts, where wind speeds may reach 80–90 kmph.

Authorities have urged fishermen to stay ashore, while coastal police in South 24 Parganas made public announcements advising trawlers to return by Monday evening. Relief centres and control rooms have been activated, and farmers have been asked to complete paddy harvesting to reduce potential crop loss.

Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, northern districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Ranipet experienced heavy showers on Monday. The Regional Meteorological Centre said Montha was located about 480 km east of Chennai, moving northward.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inspected low-lying areas and said stormwater clearance was underway.