Andhra Pradesh braces for Cyclone Montha; heavy rainfall expected

Andhra Pradesh is preparing for the impact of severe Cyclone Montha, which is expected to begin affecting the state from tomorrow, i.e. 26 October, bringing heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across several regions, officials said on Wednesday.

The IMD (India Meteorological Department) has warned that the Rayalaseema region could receive extremely heavy rainfall — exceeding 210 mm in 24 hours — on 27 and 28 October.

Cyclone Montha, named by Thailand, is currently moving westwards over the southeast Bay of Bengal and is forecast to make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on the evening or night of 28 October.

According to IMD projections, the system is likely to cross the coastline between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, with wind speeds of 90–100 km/h, gusting up to 110 km/h.

Light to moderate rain has already begun across coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, and is expected to continue over the next five to six days, the IMD said in its latest bulletin.

District collectors in Guntur, Nellore, Chittoor, Kakinada, Bapatla, and YSR Kadapa have set up special control rooms to assist residents once the cyclone makes landfall. The Rayalaseema region has also been placed on high alert.

Officials confirmed that most coastal districts and Rayalaseema have declared holidays for all educational institutions on 27 and 28 October as a precautionary measure.

Early on Saturday, the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal had moved westwards and was positioned about 440 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 970 km southeast of Visakhapatnam, 970 km east-southeast of Chennai, 990 km southeast of Kakinada, and 1,040 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, Odisha, according to the IMD.

Authorities have advised fishermen not to venture into the sea and have urged residents in low-lying coastal areas to remain alert and follow official advisories.

Disaster response teams have been placed on standby, with district administrations stocking emergency supplies and coordinating with the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to ensure timely evacuation if required.