Evacuation of people begins as Cyclone 'Montha' gains strength

Over 50,000 people have been moved to relief camps on Monday as the country began evacuations a day before Cyclone 'Montha', intensifying over the Bay of Bengal, is set to bring strong winds and heavy rains to its east coast, officials said.

Authorities cancelled holidays for emergency staff and ordered schools and colleges to close in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha forecast to be hit by the harsh weather.

The cyclone is likely to turn into a severe storm by Tuesday, before crossing the coast of Andhra Pradesh later in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"Evacuation of people from near the coast in Kakinada district has already started," a disaster management official in Andhra Pradesh said.

Nearly 50,000 people have been moved to relief camps, a government report showed.

Disaster teams have fanned out to move families from low-lying areas in Andhra Pradesh, where the government expects 3.9 million people to be affected.

Fishermen in Odisha were warned to avoid venturing to sea.

Cyclones frequently hit the country’s east coast between April and December. A super cyclone that killed nearly 10,000 when it hit Odisha in October 1999 remains one of the country's deadliest natural disasters.

Authorities in Tamil Nadu have urged people to keep alert following forecasts for heavy to very heavy rain in some districts.

Chennai is prone to flooding during intense rains, such as those brought by Cyclone Michaung in 2023.

In the Himalayan nation of Nepal, disaster authorities have warned of possible rain and snowfall from Tuesday through Friday and advised trekkers to keep alert. Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains across Nepal killed 53 people this month.