Cyclone Montha Updates | Cyclone intensifies into severe cyclonic storm: Met Dept

It is likely to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh coast in the evening or night; vulnerable population shifted to safer locations; train and flight services cancelled

Cyclonic storm Montha over the west-central Bay of Bengal moved north to northwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into a severe cyclonic storm by 5.30 am on Tuesday, said the Meteorological Department.

The weather system lay centred 190 km south to southeast of Machilipatnam, 270 km south to southeast of Kakinada and 340 km south to southeast of Vizag at 5.30 am.

"The cyclonic storm Montha over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours (and) intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centred at 5.30 am about 190 km south to south-east of Machilipatnam," said the Met Department in an official release.

It is likely to continue to move north-northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the evening and night of Tuesday as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90 to 100 kmph and gusting to 110 kmph.

The Met Department forecast heavy rains across several places of the southern States under the influence of Montha.

Montha means a fragrant flower in Thai language.

Rain lashes eight southern Odisha districts

Rain lashed eight southern Odisha districts as cyclone Montha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm.

Keeping in view the impending situation, the Odisha government has evacuated people from low-lying areas and also hilly terrain prone to landslides in the eight districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal and deployed 140 rescue teams (over 5,000 personnel) of NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service.

The administration has already announced the closure of schools and anganwadi centres in nine districts till October 30, while East Coast Railway has announced cancellation, diversion, and short termination of some trains operating in the Waltair region and connected routes. The leave of government employees has also been cancelled till October 30.

The administration has also sealed all sea beaches to prevent tourists and local people from entering beaches, Special Relief Commissioner D K Singh said.

Red alert in many districts

As many as 16 districts in Andhra Pradesh are on a red alert as the State is bracing itself for the landfall of the cyclone.

Officials have been instructed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to evacuate inhabitants of coastal districts at risk of the cyclone to designated rehabilitation centres.

Leave of all government employees has been cancelled. Control centres of the SDRF and APSDMA have been activated, and satellite phones have been arranged to maintain communication.

Authorities have set up cyclone shelters across 57 coastal mandals and brought 62 mechanised boats back to shore.

Tourist movement along coastal areas has been banned, while educational institutions in most coastal districts have been closed until Wednesday. SDRF and NDRF teams were kept on standby for emergency operations.

Vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, the elderly and coastal belt residents, have been shifted to safer locations. Around 260 relief centres have been readied in Kakinada and 140 in Nellore, with food, milk and water stocked for two to three days.

Train, flight services cancelled

Railway authorities have cancelled as many as 65 passenger and express trains across coastal Andhra Pradesh as Cyclone Montha approaches the State’s coast. The cancellations affect key routes through Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam and Bhimavaram and will remain in place from October 28 to 29

The East Coast Railway has also suspended several services along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh corridor.

Flight operations have also been affected. All IndiGo and Air India Express flights scheduled for October 28 at Visakhapatnam Airport have been cancelled due to adverse weather. Passengers are advised to check flight status before travelling to the airport.