Coastal Andhra braces for Cyclone ‘Montha’

Cyclone ‘Montha’, expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, has begun to take shape, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) Managing Director Prakhar Jain said on Monday.

Coastal districts have started experiencing rain and strong winds. The Thai word Montha means ‘fragrant flower.’

According to Jain, the cyclone moved at 18 km per hour in the past six hours and was located about 560 km off Visakhapatnam by evening. It is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning.

“The cyclone is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kakinada during the evening or night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm,” he said, urging residents of coastal districts to remain vigilant and follow safety advisories.

NTR District Collector G Lakshmisha said all departments were on high alert. “Several teams have been deployed and are working in coordination. We have kept 180 rehabilitation centres ready, along with 24 drones for continuous weather monitoring,” he added.

Vijayawada Police Commissioner S V Rajasekhar Babu said the Police Department was fully geared up, with officers deployed across every ward secretariat. “A control room is monitoring the situation and 42 drones have been deployed for real-time assessment,” he said, adding that residents of 360 houses were being evacuated as a precaution.

Cyclone ‘Montha’ triggered heavy to very heavy rain and strong winds across several districts of Andhra Pradesh, disrupting normal life. Meanwhile, officials have released 1,000 cusecs of water from the Krishnapuram reservoir as a preventive measure.