Cyclone Montha intensifies: Andhra and Odisha mobilise shelters, schools closed ahead of landfall

As Cyclone Montha swirled menacingly in the Bay of Bengal on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha went into full-scale emergency mode — shuttering schools, evacuating coastal villages, and deploying disaster response teams in anticipation of the storm’s landfall late Tuesday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that Montha could bring gale-force winds of up to 110 kmph, torrential rains, and coastal flooding along the eastern seaboard.

The deep depression, now officially classified as a cyclonic storm, was located around 830 km off Andhra’s Kakinada and 930 km from Odisha’s Gopalpur late Sunday evening. According to the IMD’s latest projections, Montha is expected to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, potentially battering both states with destructive wind speeds and storm surges.

Andhra on alert: Schools closed, expectant mothers moved to safety
In Andhra Pradesh, five districts — Kakinada, East Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru, and West Godavari — have been placed on high alert. Authorities have begun evacuating residents from vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas, closing schools, and issuing advisories to fishermen to stay ashore.

In Kakinada, officials began shifting residents from the fragile Hope Island to safer shelters inland. Schools will remain closed from October 27 to 31 as a precautionary measure. In neighbouring Konaseema, district collector R. Mahesh Kumar confirmed that over 6,000 people across 34 coastal villages have been provided emergency shelters. “428 pregnant women who were due in 15 days have been shifted to health centres,” he said, adding that NDRF teams and earth movers have been stationed strategically to handle any crisis.

Authorities in West Godavari also declared school and college holidays on October 27 and 28, and suspended all beachside recreational activities. Telecom operators have been instructed to deploy standby generators to ensure uninterrupted communication. “We’re prioritising people in dilapidated buildings and flood-prone zones for evacuation,” an official said.

Odisha braces for the worst: Eight districts in ‘red zone’
In Odisha, the government has mapped eight southern districts — Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, and Kalahandi — as “red zones,” warning that these areas could experience “extremely heavy rainfall” on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state has taken “extensive” preparedness measures, holding emergency reviews with district collectors and mobilising critical departments. “The Odisha government has prepared extensively for the impending cyclone, which is currently 930 kilometres away and moving northwest. Eight districts have been identified as highly vulnerable. We reviewed readiness with officials, identifying vulnerable points, and alerting departments such as energy, health, and agriculture,” he said.

Pujari added that cyclone shelters, relief centres, and plot centres are operational, and the Water Resources Department has started releasing water from reservoirs to prevent overflow. “Expectant mothers likely to deliver in the next week are being shifted to Primary and Community Health Centres. Essential commodities have been stocked to prevent hoarding and price gouging. SDRF, NDRF, and fire services are positioned in the vulnerable districts,” he said.

‘Calibrated response’ as storm path evolves
According to Chandra Sekhar Padhi, Engineer-in-Chief of Odisha’s Water Resources Department, Montha could pass close to Kakinada before shifting northwest. “From October 26 to 29, it will change intensity — from a deep depression to a severe cyclonic storm. We’re taking a calibrated approach as the path becomes clearer. As of now, there is no immediate danger, but our field officers are ready for any eventuality,” he said.

Odisha Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra echoed that message of readiness, saying, “All leave for officials has been cancelled. We’ve directed teams to prepare for waterlogging, inspect drainage systems, and distribute dry food in vulnerable areas. We have prepared everything.”

IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty confirmed that a low-pressure area south of the Bay of Bengal had developed into a cyclonic system that will intensify over the next 48 hours. “It is likely to form into a deep depression by October 26 and a cyclonic storm by October 27. Odisha is likely to experience heavy rainfall on October 27, 28, and 29. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea from the 26th onwards,” she warned.

(With inputs from ANI, ToI)