Landfall underway as Cyclone Montha hits Andhra coast, says IMD

Private weather agencies suggest Cyclone Montha may shift course

Several private meteorological firms now suggest the cyclone may shift course and head toward Narasapuram in West Godavari, marking a departure from earlier projections of a landfall near Kakinada.

Initially, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) maintained that the system would cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam as a severe storm. However, based on updated satellite data and wind-field patterns, the private agencies believe the eye could turn more westward, placing Narasapuram and adjacent coastal areas in the storm’s direct path, reported The Federal Andhra Pradesh.

IMD warns of extremely heavy rain as Cyclone Montha nears AP

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of extremely heavy rainfall over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Telangana, and South Chhattisgarh on October 28, as Cyclone Montha moves closer to landfall.

IMD said isolated areas in Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam have already recorded rainfall exceeding 21 cm in the past 24 hours, while East Rajasthan, Gujarat, and parts of Madhya Pradesh reported heavy to very heavy showers.

The IMD noted that the severe cyclonic storm Montha over the west-central Bay of Bengal is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada by tonight, with wind speeds reaching 90–100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph. Under its influence, more intense rainfall is expected to continue through Wednesday across coastal and adjoining inland regions.

Officials cautioned that the heavy rain may lead to flooding of low-lying areas, road blockages, and damage to crops and infrastructure. The IMD has advised residents in vulnerable zones.

Cyclone Montha: AP halts heavy vehicles, warns against travel

The Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has announced road restrictions in districts affected by Cyclone Montha, citing heavy rainfall and safety concerns. In its latest advisory, the authority said heavy vehicles on national highways will be halted from 7 PM and “must be kept at a safe level in advance.”

The APSDMA urged citizens to “avoid travel unless absolutely necessary,” emphasising the need for caution as weather conditions worsen across cyclone-affected regions. Authorities are implementing these measures to ensure public safety and minimise the risk of accidents during the storm.

Watch: Uppada residents moved to shelters as Cyclone Montha nears

In Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, residents of Uppada affected by the approaching Cyclone Montha have been moved to shelter homes equipped with essential facilities, including food. Kakinada MP Uday Srinivas Tangella is on-site, monitoring the situation and overseeing relief arrangements.

Cyclone Montha 110 km from Machilipatnam; landfall tonight

Cyclone Montha is currently centered about 110 km from Machilipatnam, 190 km from Kakinada, and 280 km from Visakhapatnam, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) said in its 2:20 PM bulletin on October 28. The storm has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal, moving at a speed of 10 km per hour in the past six hours.

APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain said the cyclone is “likely to make landfall tonight between Kakinada and Machilipatnam as a severe storm,” adding that “its impact will intensify as it approaches the coast.”

The authority warned of “heavy to very heavy rainfall” in coastal districts, with strong winds reaching speeds of 90–110 km per hour during landfall. Jain advised, “People are urged to stay indoors and remain safe,” as extremely heavy rainfall is expected in some areas.

AP CM Naidu urges leaders to assist in Cyclone Montha relief

With Cyclone Montha approaching the Andhra Pradesh coast, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday held a teleconference with MPs, ministers, MLAs, and key leaders, directing them to stay vigilant and assist people in vulnerable areas over the next two days.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Naidu said, “We should stand by the people who supported our party,” and appealed to citizens to “come forward as voluntary servants to participate in relief programs.” The CMO added that around 39 constituencies are expected to face heavy rainfall, and hourly bulletins will be issued to track developments.

Union Minister Vaishnaw reviews rail readiness for Cyclone Montha

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed preparedness for Cyclone Montha and instructed the railways to implement precautionary measures across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Telangana. He ordered the activation of divisional war rooms and directed that essential materials, machinery, and manpower be readied, particularly in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Guntur divisions. Train operations are being closely monitored to reduce passenger inconvenience. The ECoR, SCoR, and SCR zones have been tasked with mobilizing resources and ensuring swift emergency response to mitigate the cyclone’s potential impact on rail services along the East Coast.

AP CM Naidu reviews cyclone preparedness; 7 districts on alert

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu conducted a review meeting from RTGS, stressing vigilance amid forecasts of heavy rainfall in United Visakh, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, and Nellore districts. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Ministers Nara Lokesh, Vangalapudi Anitha, P. Narayana, Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand, DGP Harish Kumar Gupta, and senior officials from various departments attended the meeting to assess preparedness and coordinate response measures across affected regions.

Odisha CM Majhi: 11,396 evacuated to shelters for Cyclone Montha

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday said his government was well prepared to face the challenges posed by cyclone 'Montha' and has opened over 2,000 disaster relief centres in eight southern districts for people likely to be impacted by the severe cyclonic storm.

He said 11,396 people have shifted to 2,048 disaster relief centres opened by the state government.

Majhi said this after reviewing the preparedness of the state government at a high-level meeting attended by Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, DGP Y B Khurania and other senior officials.

"As per IMD forecast, 'Montha' will make landfall in Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha will certainly be impacted. The state will receive extremely heavy rainfall and comparatively less intense wind," Majhi said.

The CM said that the state government has taken all precautionary measures to achieve its goal of "Zero Casualty".

He said that evacuation of people from low-lying areas and hilly terrain is still continuing in vulnerable places of eight districts, such as Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.

These districts would receive extremely heavy rain for which mitigation plans are made, he said.

Of the identified 2,693 pregnant women, as many as 1,871 would be mothers, have so far been shifted to hospitals and another batch of 822 women in the advanced stage of pregnancy would be brought to the health centre by Tuesday evening, the CM said.

Majhi said the state government has further augmented preparedness by deploying 153 rescue teams in the possible impact districts. More than 6,000 well-trained and skilled personnel of NDRF (5 teams), ODRAF (30 teams) and Fire Service (123 teams) have already taken position in different districts. The state has also kept more such rescue teams on standby for any emergency situation, he said.

Cyclone Montha: 32 flights cancelled at Visakhapatnam Airport

All flights, 32 in total, operating out of Visakhapatnam Airport were cancelled on Tuesday owing to the severe cyclonic storm 'Montha.' Visakhapatnam Airport Director N Purushottam said two Air India Express flights were cancelled on October 27.

"Actually, we are operating 30 to 32 movements (flights) daily, domestic as well as international. Today, all those flights are cancelled," Purushottam told PTI.

Other than the two cancelled Air India Express flights on Monday, he said the rest of the 30 flights had operated on October 27.

Further, he said the airport has taken precautions to shield it from the severe cyclonic storm as per the Airports Authority of India (AAI) guidelines, covering pre-cyclone and post-cyclone phases.

Likewise, Vijayawada Airport has cancelled 16 flights today, but managed to operate five flights. "Yesterday (Monday) there was only one flight cancellation to Vizag. But today, 16 flights were cancelled to various destinations, including Delhi, Mumbai, across the country," said Vijayawada Airport Director Lakshmikanth Reddy.

According to Reddy, the airlines have taken a decision to suspend operations for today, adding that clarity could emerge by evening about tomorrow's flight operations. Similarly, four flights were cancelled in Tirupati Airport.