Cyclone Montha Threatens Andhra Coast: Kakinada Braces for Tuesday Landfall

APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain stated on Sunday night that the deep depression moved at a speed of 8 km per hour in the last 6 hours. It is currently centred 720 km from Chennai, 790 km from Visakhapatnam, and 780 km from Kakinada.

The deep depression is expected to intensify into a cyclone over the southwest and west-central Bay of Bengal within 12 hours. By Tuesday morning, it may turn into a severe cyclone and is likely to cross the coast near Kakinada by that night, he said.

As strong gales with a speed of 90-110 km per hour are expected along the coast, people have been advised to stay safe indoors.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the evening/night of 28th October as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.

The APSDMA MD said nine teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and seven teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have reached the coastal districts for relief operations, while some more teams are ready at the headquarters.

Meanwhile, the state government has permitted District Collectors to draw funds under TR-27 to meet immediate expenses towards rescue and relief operations.

The government issued an order allowing Collectors of all 26 districts to draw Rs 19 crore. While 12 districts have been allowed to draw Rs 1 crore each, the remaining districts have been permitted to draw Rs 50 lakh each.

All the Collectors have been directed to give priority to evacuation of victims from the flood areas to relief camps, safe drinking water, food, milk, health check-up and maintenance of health camps and sanitation and urgent repairs to roads and irrigation infrastructure.

All the Collectors have been directed to hire APSRTC buses for the transportation of victims to the relief camps, to the extent possible, and take steps to pay the charges to APSRTC. They are also directed to use Government Schools/Colleges, to the extent possible, as relief camps if the cyclone shelters are not enough to accommodate the affected citizens.

Heavy to very heavy rains are likely in Kakinada, Konaseema, West Godavari, Krishna, Bapatla, Prakasam and Nellore districts on Monday.

Heavy rains are likely in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, East Godavari, Eluru, NTR, Guntur, Palnadu, Chittoor and Tirupati districts.

Heavy to very heavy rains are likely in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur and Bapatla districts on Tuesday.

Heavy to very heavy rains are also expected in Manyam, Palnadu, Prakasam, Nellore, Kurnool, Nandyal, Kadapa and Tirupati districts.

Minister for Home and Disaster Management V. Anitha on Sunday held a video conference with Anakapalle, Kakinada, Konaseema Collectors, Special Officers and SPs to review the preparedness to tackle the situation.

As strong winds of 100 kmph may cause power supply disruption, officials were directed to keep transformers and poles ready for restoration. They were also told to keep JCBs and generators ready.

The minister asked officials to ensure that the heavy hoardings are removed immediately

As there is a possibility of maximum impact of the cyclone in six mandals of Kakinada district, she directed officials to set up more relief camps in the region.

The officials have been directed to convince, in advance, the people in coastal villages to move to relief camps.

- IANS