Heavy rain and strong winds battered parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh on Monday as Cyclone Montha inched closer to the state’s shoreline.
According to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), the cyclone is likely to impact 1,419 villages and 44 towns, prompting authorities to place the entire coastal belt on high alert. Wind speeds are expected to reach 90–110 kmph, accompanied by extremely heavy rainfall.
“Cyclone Montha, located over the west-central Bay of Bengal, was centred about 420 km from Chennai, 500 km from Visakhapatnam, and 450 km from Kakinada on Monday night. It moved at a speed of 15 kmph in the past six hours,” APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain said.
The cyclone is likely to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kakinada by Tuesday evening or night.
The APSDMA said very heavy to extremely heavy rain is likely from Srikakulam to Nellore, while parts of Rayalaseema may receive heavy showers.
Authorities have set up 2,194 relief camps across 233 mandals and 44 municipalities and are on standby to shift residents if needed. Special arrangements have been made for 3,465 pregnant women and nursing mothers.
A total of 558 control rooms have been activated — one at the state level, 19 at the district level, and 54 at the revenue division level. Sixteen satellite phones, 35 DMR sets, and other communication systems have been deployed across districts.
With sea conditions turning rough, fishermen have been asked not to venture out. Coastal activities have been suspended, beaches closed, and danger signal number one hoisted at all ports.
The South Central Railway and East Coast Railway have cancelled over 100 trains for the next two days as a precautionary measure. Eleven NDRF and twelve SDRF teams have been deployed across vulnerable districts, with additional teams on standby.
By Monday evening, several parts of coastal Andhra recorded moderate to heavy rainfall and gusty winds up to 40 kmph. Visakhapatnam Rural received 92.5 mm of rain, followed by Kapuluppada (85.5 mm), Madhurawada (83.5 mm), and Seethamadhara (81.2 mm), while 73 locations reported more than 50 mm.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation at the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) Centre in Amaravati, saying the state machinery was “fully prepared to face any eventuality.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Naidu over phone and assured full central assistance.
Naidu directed district collectors and SPs to evacuate residents from vulnerable coastal stretches and move them to safer locations. With the cyclone expected to intensify from Tuesday, he asked officials to adopt a “zero-risk” approach in low-lying areas.
He said teams equipped with machinery were ready to restore power, clear fallen trees, and repair roads once the weather improves.
Minister for Real Time Governance Nara Lokesh is monitoring inter-departmental coordination and district-level readiness from the RTGS war room.
—IANS