Landfall underway as Cyclone Montha hits Andhra coast, says IMD

Cyclone Montha to bring heavy rain across West Bengal till October 31

Severe cyclonic storm Montha will bring heavy rainfall in several districts of West Bengal till October 31, the IMD said on Tuesday.

Montha, which is currently situated over westcentral Bay of Bengal and is moving in the north-northwestward direction, is likely to make landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday night, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a special bulletin.

The Met office advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the West Bengal coast till Thursday.

The weather system is likely to bring heavy rainfall in the south Bengal districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum and Murshidabad between Tuesday and Friday, the Met office said.

One or two places in the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar are likely to get very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) on Friday, the Met said.

The severe cyclonic storm, which is likely to weaken gradually after landfall into a well-marked low pressure by Thursday, will bring heavy rainfall (7 to 12 cm) in all districts of north Bengal on Thursday and Friday, including Malda, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur, the IMD said.

Watch: Former CM Patnaik urges caution during Cyclone Montha

In a video message, former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged people to remain cautious and follow safety measures during Cyclone Montha. He advised citizens to “stay safe and alert” and to “follow government guidelines and cooperate with rescue and relief teams” to ensure their well-being amid the cyclone threat.

Cyclone Montha: Rough seas cause erosion in Kakinada

In Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, rough sea conditions caused by Cyclone Montha have eroded the shoreline and damaged properties near the coast. The local administration has urged residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Montha is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, during the evening or night. The storm may bring maximum sustained wind speeds of 90–100 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 110 kmph, posing risks of further coastal damage and severe weather conditions in the region.

Ganjam evacuates over 2,500 residents due to Cyclone Montha

Ganjam District Administration has gone on high alert due to Cyclone Montha. ADM Debadutta Panda stated, “The District administration is fully prepared for any kind of eventuality. We have evacuated more than 2,500 people to shelters. In urban areas, 28 people have been evacuated.” He added that “the current situation is normal with the administration on high alert. All cyclone shelters are fully functional, and all basic amenities are being provided to the evacuees.” The administration continues close monitoring to ensure safety and preparedness across vulnerable areas.

Cyclone Montha: Met dept issues storm warning to TN ports

The Met Department issued a storm warning for ports in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday with Cyclone 'Montha' moving towards Andhra Pradesh.

Montha means a fragrant flower in Thai language.

"We have informed port authorities in Chennai, Ennore and Kattupalli to hoist Local Warning signal No 4," said Regional Meteorology Centre (RMC) Director B Amudha.

She also said a distant warning of signal No 2 was issued to Cuddalore and Nagapattinam ports as well as Puducherry and Karaikal ports.

"The warning is issued when there is a cyclone in the sea and gusty winds are likely to be experienced by the port. It is a warning for ships and ports so that they take precautionary measures against sudden winds and prevent damage," said the director.

As the cyclone 'Montha' intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, all eyes are on Tiruvallur district, which is expected to receive heavy rainfall on Tuesday.

According to Tiruvallur District Disaster Management, in the last 24 hours, till 6 am on Tuesday, Ponneri and Avadi in Tiruvallur received 72 mm and 62 mm of rainfall respectively.

Tiruvallur District Collector M Prathap declared a holiday for schools on Tuesday, anticipating heavy rains.

According to RMC's latest bulletin, isolated places over Chengalpattu, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Tirupattur, Villupuram, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari districts will likely see moderate rain with light thunderstorm and lightning.

Cyclone Montha: NDRF on alert as ports raise danger signals

A No. 10 danger warning signal has been issued at Kakinada Port due to Cyclone Montha, while Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Bheemunipatnam, and Kalingapatnam ports are under signal No. 9, and Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam, and Krishnapatnam ports under signal No. 8. NDRF teams have reached Machilipatnam for relief and rescue efforts, with 25 personnel on standby. NDRF Commander Eshwar Rao said, “We have already identified areas likely to be affected by the cyclone. Our teams are fully prepared to provide immediate assistance wherever needed.” The teams are also conducting awareness drives and helping residents shift to safer areas.

AP CM Naidu orders evacuations as Cyclone Montha nears

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to evacuate residents from coastal areas likely to be affected by Cyclone Montha, particularly Kakinada and the Konaseema region. The state has set up 2,194 rehabilitation centres and shifted 3,465 pregnant women to hospitals. The cyclone is expected to impact 233 mandals and 44 municipalities. Control rooms have been established in 19 districts and 54 revenue divisions, with 11 SDRF and 12 NDRF teams on standby. Odisha has also begun evacuations in its southern districts under a red alert. Control room helplines have been activated across key Andhra districts.

107 trains cancelled as Cyclone Montha hits SCR services

Amid Cyclone Montha, the South Central Railway General Manager reviewed the situation during a visit to Vijayawada and advised passengers to check real-time train updates on IRCTC, RailOne, NTES, or by calling 139 before travelling. A total of 107 trains have been cancelled, one partially cancelled, and six diverted as precautionary measures due to the cyclone’s impact on the region.

Cyclone Montha: Heavy to extremely heavy rain expected in 9 Andhra districts

The weather department has warned of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across Guntur, Krishna, Palnadu, NTR, Eluru, West Godavari, Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, and Vizianagaram districts due to Cyclone Montha. Coastal areas may experience winds of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, on October 28 and 29. Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors and avoid travel as risks of flooding, uprooted trees, landslides, and structural damage remain high. Fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea until October 29. Moderate thunderstorms with lightning and winds up to 50 kmph are also expected in the northern districts.

Cyclone Montha intensifies; likely to cross Andhra coast today

Cyclone Montha over the west-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, moving north-northwest at 15 kmph, the meteorological department reported. As of 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, it was positioned 190 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam and 270 km south-southeast of Kakinada. The storm is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada by evening or night, with wind speeds of 90–100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is likely across Tirupati, Nellore, Prakasam, Krishna, Guntur, and other north coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh.