Cyclone 'Montha', now a severe cyclonic storm, passed between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam early Wednesday morning. According to the 12:30 AM update from the Meteorological Department, the storm is expected to weaken into a 'cyclonic storm' within the next six hours.
During this period, heavy rainfall and winds reaching speeds of 100 km/hr uprooted trees and disrupted power supply across several districts.
Read Also: Double Trouble with Cyclones: 'Montha' Wreaks Havoc in Andhra, 'Melissa' Storms the Atlantic
IMD posted on X stating, "According to the latest data, the severe cyclonic storm 'Montha' crossed between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, south of Kakinada on the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast." The department confirmed that the 'landfall process' of the storm was completed after midnight.
Source: aajtak
On Tuesday night at 9:30 PM, IMD reported that 'Montha' was moving in a north-west direction at a speed of 15 km/hr. At that time, it was centered 60 km east of Machilipatnam, 100 km south-southwest of Kakinada, 230 km southwest of Visakhapatnam, and 480 km southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha.
IMD also mentioned the storm's impact would be seen in parts of Telangana, Tamilnadu, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, with heavy rainfall expected in the coming days.
Night Curfew Enforced in Andhra Pradesh
In response to the cyclone's impact, the Andhra Pradesh government imposed a night curfew in seven districts, including Krishna, Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, Kakinada, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, and Alluri Sitarama Raju districts (Chintoor and Rampachodavaram divisions), from 8:30 PM to 6 AM, restricting vehicle movement.
Only emergency medical services are exempt from the curfew. Authorities have urged the public to stay indoors, avoid non-essential travel, and follow government safety advisories.
Source: aajtak
Instructions have been issued to all district collectors and police superintendents to halt traffic on all roads, including national highways.
Read Also: 'Montha' Cyclone Red Alert in Andhra and Odisha, Winds Up to 110 KMPH Expected
Even before the storm hit, a tree fell on power lines on Manginapudi beach road in Machilipatnam, causing a power outage that is still being addressed.
Heavy Rain, Flight and Train Cancellations
The storm is causing rainfall across various parts of Andhra Pradesh. Rainfall recorded since 8:30 AM in Machilipatnam was 5.2 mm, 9.8 mm in Narasapur, 15.6 mm in Tuni, 5.7 mm in Kakinada, and 0.2 mm in Visakhapatnam.
Nellore district has been experiencing continuous rain for the last 36 hours, with an average of 5 cm of rain in the past 24 hours and up to 7 cm in some areas. An official told PTI that heavy rain might continue for the next 12 hours, with monitoring teams on alert in urban and rural areas.
In Konsima district's Makanagudem village, a woman tragically lost her life when strong winds caused a tree to fall on her. Flight services have also been affected in Andhra Pradesh. At Visakhapatnam airport, 32 flights were canceled, 16 in Vijayawada, and 4 in Tirupati.
A total of 120 trains were canceled in the South Central Railway (SCR) zone on Monday and Tuesday. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed 45 teams for relief and rescue operations.
Alert in Odisha, People Moved to Safe Locations
Neighboring Odisha also issued an alert due to Cyclone 'Montha'. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that the state government has established over 2,000 disaster relief centers in eight southern districts.
So far, 11,396 people have been moved to safer places. The government has restricted tourist entry to spots like the Devmali and Mahendrageri hills and limited movement on beaches. Schools and Anganwadi centers in nine districts are closed until October 30.
Source: aajtak
The East Coast Railway decided to cancel, divert, or partially operate several trains in the Waltair Division and connected routes. The state government has canceled all government employee leaves until October 30. The government advised fishermen not to venture into the Odisha coast and Bay of Bengal until October 29.
Rain Alert Issued in Odisha
The IMD issued a red alert for several districts on Tuesday. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam.
An orange alert (7 to 20 cm of rain) is issued for Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Khurda, Puri, and Bargarh districts.
Additionally, a yellow warning (7 to 11 cm of rain) is in effect for Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, and Sundargarh.
Rail Minister Conducts Review Meeting
On Tuesday, Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw conducted a review meeting via video conferencing with top officials of the East Coast Railway and South Central Railway regarding preparations for 'Montha'. He instructed ensuring passenger safety, train operation plans, restoration strategies, and coordination between local administrations and disaster management agencies.
