As Cyclone Montha is expected to break land near Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada district on Tuesday, several coastal districts on Monday witnessed strong winds accompanied by heavy rainfall, officials said.
According to a bulletin from the Cyclone Warning Centre at Visakhapatnam, the cyclone is currently centred around 520 kilometres southeast of Chennai, and was moving towards the north-west at a speed of over 18 kilometres per hour.
Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) managing director Prakhar Jain said that landfall was likely by Tuesday evening. “As the cyclone nears the coast, wind speeds along the coast are forecast to reach up to 90 to 110 kilometres per hour,” he said.
Jain warned locals and fishermen to avoid venturing out into the sea or to be complacent with the calm weather. “The situation can change rapidly. Stay alert and follow safety advisories,” he said.
Authorities are maintaining high alert across coastal districts, and control rooms have been activated to monitor the cyclone’s path and coordinate emergency response measures.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the developing situation from the Real Time Governance Centre (RTGS) in the state secretariat and placed the administration in 23 districts on maximum alert. “As the cyclone crosses the coast, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected across multiple districts,” the officials told him.
An official statement from the CMO said Naidu spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and explained the situation. The Prime Minister assured full support from the Centre.
{{/usCountry}}An official statement from the CMO said Naidu spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and explained the situation. The Prime Minister assured full support from the Centre.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister instructed authorities to monitor the cyclone’s movement hour-to-hour and take zero-risk measures, especially in coastal and low-lying habitations, the stament said, adding that he also appealed to citizens to stay indoors and remain vigilant until all-clear instructions are issued.
The statement added that tate minister for disaster management and RTGS Nara Lokesh is coordinating inter-departmental response, communication systems, and district-level readiness. He directed all municipal bodies and district administrations to operate 24×7 control rooms, ensure uninterrupted communication, and issue alerts through RTGS, APSDMA and local networks.