Cyclone ‘Montha’ batters 8 southern Odisha districts with heavy rain

As dawn broke over Odisha’s rain-swept coast on Tuesday, 28 October, the rhythmic patter of monsoon showers gave way to the growl of an approaching tempest. Cyclone Montha, swirling ominously over the Bay of Bengal, has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, unleashing heavy rain across eight southern districts and setting the state on high alert.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Montha — whose name means “fragrant flower” in Thai — moved north-northwest at a speed of 15 kmph, gathering force as it churned towards the Andhra coast. At 5:30 am, it lay centered 190 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 270 km south-southeast of Kakinada, and about 550 km south-southwest of Gopalpur, Odisha.

The system is expected to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada later this evening or night, packing winds of 90–100 kmph gusting up to 110 kmph, said Dr. Manorama Mohanty, director of the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar.

As Montha intensified, rain lashed the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal—regions that bore the first brunt of the storm’s outer bands.

The Odisha government, anticipating the impact, launched a massive evacuation operation. People from low-lying and landslide-prone areas were moved to safety, with over 1,400 cyclone shelters opened across the eight districts. Inside, evacuees were provided with food, clean water, and medical care; pregnant women were shifted to hospitals for safety.

“We have deployed 140 rescue teams, comprising over 5,000 personnel from the NDRF, ODRAF, and Fire Services,” said Special Relief Commissioner D.K. Singh. “All sea beaches have been sealed, and tourists have been barred from entering coastal zones.”

The administration has closed schools and anganwadi centres in nine districts and cancelled government employees’ leave till 30 October. The East Coast Railway has also announced cancellations, diversions, and short-terminations of several trains operating in the Waltair region.

The IMD has issued a Red Warning (Take Action) for Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam districts, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm in isolated areas.

An Orange Warning (Be Prepared) has been sounded for Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Khurda, Puri, and Bargarh, predicting heavy to very heavy rain (7–20 cm).
A Yellow Alert (Be Aware) remains in effect for Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, and Sundargarh.

Ports across the coastline have been placed on alert, with the IMD advising the hoisting of Local Cautionary Signal No. III at Gopalpur Port, and Distant Warning Signal No. II at Paradip, Dhamra, Puri, Chhatrapur, and Chandbali.

Fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea until further notice, as waves rise high and winds whip the surf into fury.

Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi is expected to review the situation later in the day, even as district administrations brace for potential flooding and landslides.

Officials said the focus is now on preventing casualties and protecting livelihoods, particularly in areas where standing paddy crops and thatched houses are most vulnerable.

As Montha approaches the coast, Odisha once again stands as a testament to both the fury of nature and the resilience of its people. The same land that endures tempests year after year now braces for yet another trial — its rivers swollen, skies brooding, and hearts steadfast in the face of the storm.

With PTI inputs