Cyclone Montha set to make landfall; Andhra deploys 12000 officials, sets up 2,194 rehabilitation centers

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh government is on a high alert as Cyclone Montha is set to make landfall. Authorities have decided to evacuate residents from around 2,590 coastal villages and hamlets in Tondangi, U. Kothapalli, and Tallarevu mandals to nearby rehabilitation centers.

A total of 50 SDRF and 30 NDRF teams have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. Meanwhile, 14,499 students from 101 hostels have been sent home as the buildings are being utilized as temporary shelters.

Cyclonic Montha is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the evening/night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.

The depression over the east-central Arabian Sea remained practically stationary during the last 12 hours, and it is likely to move nearly north-northeastwards across the East-central Arabian Sea during the next 48 hours.

Kakinada has been witnessing cloudy skies and moderate rainfall since Monday morning. High waves have been reported along the Uppada coastline.

Officials have begun preparations, anticipating severe damage if the cyclone makes landfall near Kakinada.

Given the risk of uprooted trees and snapped electric poles due to strong winds, 1,000 personnel from Rayalaseema have been brought in to assist in restoration and relief work. Additionally, 40 boats and 40 trained swimmers have been readied for emergency evacuation and rescue in low-lying and flood-prone areas.

Authorities have also shifted 142 pregnant women nearing delivery to nearby hospitals for safety. Food preparation centers have been established in Uppada and Tondangi mandals. In the event cooking becomes impossible, arrangements have been made to supply 10,000 food packets through Annavaram Devasthanam, Akshaya Patra, and Divi’s Laboratories.

In Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, officials have initiated the evacuation of residents from flood-prone areas in nine coastal mandals to rehabilitation centers. Though around 12,000 people were expected to be evacuated, only about 1,000 residents agreed to move, as the cyclone’s impact remained mild on Monday.

Authorities have warned that wind speeds could reach 100–120 km/h, posing a risk of uprooting electric poles and coconut trees. NDRF and SDRF teams stationed at Amalapuram and Sakhinetipalli have been instructed to respond to any emergency within 30 minutes.

Special Officer Vijayaramaraju and District Collector Mahesh Kumar inspected coastal regions and reviewed the readiness of rehabilitation centers to ensure swift evacuation and relief operations.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, along with the other ministers, held high-level reviews with district and departmental officials to assess preparedness and ensure public safety.

Given the likelihood of power disruptions due to strong winds, the government has deployed 12,000 personnel across the state. It has set up 1,000 special teams to restore the electricity supply if needed. Chief Minister Naidu directed officials to prevent any loss of life or property.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured full support from the Centre. Minister Nara Lokesh has been tasked with coordinating with the Prime Minister’s Office. He has instructed officials to ensure tarpaulins and essential supplies are ready to minimize crop losses.

Relief and Rehabilitation Measures

The government has set up 2,194 rehabilitation centres in flood-prone regions, and evacuations have already begun in Konaseema. Control rooms have been established under the district collectors and the Water Resources Department to monitor the situation continuously.

Civil Supplies Minister Nageswara Rao Manohar announced that ration supplies will be distributed through local depots starting Tuesday in 12 cyclone-affected districts.

Transport Disruptions

South Central Railway has canceled several train services between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam for Tuesday, with details published on the official website. Passengers are being informed via SMS about cancellations and schedule changes.

Several flight operations of Air India Express and Indigo from Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Rajahmundry have been suspended for October 28. Flights departing from and arriving at Vijayawada airport have been cancelled. Except for the Delhi route, all Air India Express services stand suspended.

Flight services by IndiGo to and from Vizag, Vijayawada, and Rajahmundry have been cancelled.

Cyclone Impact and Weather Update

The cyclone’s initial impact was felt on Monday morning, bringing intermittent sunlight and light showers across coastal districts such as Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Srikakulam, and Ambedkar Konaseema. Visakhapatnam Rural recorded the highest rainfall of 94 mm between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., while Anantapur registered 84 mm later in the evening.

Flash Flood Warning

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a flash flood alert for Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Vizianagaram, Prakasam, Nellore, Tirupati, Annamayya, YSR Kadapa, Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, and Chittoor districts.

The Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam has advised fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea until Friday due to extremely rough conditions. A fourth-level warning has been issued for Kakinada and Machilipatnam ports, while a third-level warning is in place for Kalingapatnam, Bhimunipatnam, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Nizampatnam, Krishnapatnam, and Vadarevu ports.

Rainfall Forecast

Tuesday: Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely across coastal and north Andhra districts, including Srikakulam, Parvathipuram, Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Kakinada, Konaseema, West and East Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Bapatla, Palnadu, and Yanam.

Wednesday: Heavy rainfall is expected to persist in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, and Guntur, with very heavy rainfall likely in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, and Prakasam districts.

Preparedness by Disaster Management

The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) estimates that the cyclone will impact 1,419 villages and 16 municipalities. According to SDMA Director MV Prakhar Jain, 2194 relief centres have been readied, including 60 district-level, 54 division-level, and 484 mandal/village-level centres. Communication systems have been strengthened with 16 satellite phones and 35 DMR radio sets.