Kakinada/Bhubaneswar, October 27 (Udaipur Kiran): Coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have been placed on high alert as Cyclone Montha, brewing over the Bay of Bengal, intensifies and moves closer to land. The system, packing winds between 90–110 kmph, is expected to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam late on Tuesday night.
As of Sunday evening, Cyclone Montha was positioned about 830 km from Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) and 930 km from Gopalpur (Odisha). Both state governments have stepped up contingency measures, including mass evacuations, school closures, and suspension of coastal activities.
Andhra Pradesh: Schools Closed, Evacuations Begin
Authorities in Kakinada, East Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru, and West Godavari districts have begun relocating residents from vulnerable coastal areas to safer shelters.
In Kakinada, officials have started shifting people from Hope Island to relief camps.
Schools will remain closed from October 27 to 31, with heavy rainfall and strong winds predicted.
Konaseema District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar confirmed that 6,000 people from 34 coastal villages have been moved to cyclone shelters.
A total of 428 pregnant women, due within 15 days, have been relocated to nearby health centres as a precaution.
NDRF teams and heavy machinery have been kept on standby to handle emergencies.
In West Godavari, schools and colleges will remain closed on October 27 and 28, while all beach and resort activities have been suspended. Similar restrictions are in place in Eluru district. Telecom companies have been directed to deploy backup generators to ensure uninterrupted mobile connectivity during the storm. Residents of low-lying and unsafe buildings have been shifted to temporary shelters.
Odisha Declares Eight Districts as ‘Red Zones’
The Odisha government has identified eight districts likely to face the severe impact of Cyclone Montha — Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, and Kalahandi.
State disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said, “These districts have been marked as red zones. We expect extremely heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday, accompanied by strong winds and potential flooding in several areas.”
Collectors have been instructed to ensure pre-positioning of relief materials, activation of cyclone shelters, and continuous monitoring of rivers and reservoirs.
Army and NDRF on Standby
With twin cyclonic systems simultaneously active in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the Army, NDRF, and state disaster response teams have been placed on high alert. Fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea, and port authorities are maintaining continuous surveillance.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast widespread rainfall and storm surges along the coastal belts of Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha during the next 48 hours.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
