Cyclone Montha Threatens Andhra Coast: 90-100 Kmph Winds Expected Near Kakinada

According to IMD, "SCS Montha moved north-northwestwards and at 1330 hrs IST of October 28, it lay about 100 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 180 km south-southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 270 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 500 km south-southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha)."

"To cross Andhra Pradesh coast around Kakinada during evening/night of today, 28th October as SCS with maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph," the meteorological department added.

In the wake of heavy rainfall expected in 39 constituencies in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the Ministers, MPs, and MLAs to provide assistance to the people affected.

Andhra Pradesh CMO wrote on X, "In the backdrop of the Montha cyclone severely impacting the state, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu today urged MPs, ministers, MLAs, and key leaders to remain vigilant today and tomorrow and provide assistance and support to the people. In this regard, he held a teleconference with them today. He called upon the people to become aware and step forward as voluntary servants to participate in relief programs."

"We should stand by the people who supported our party. Rainfall is heavily affecting approximately 39 constituencies. We will also release bulletins every hour. The CM appealed that we should stand as support to the people in this phase," CMO added.

As per CMO, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Ministers Nara Lokesh, V. Anitha, P. Narayana, Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad (CS), and officials from various departments participated in the review meeting.

Officials informed the CM that heavy rainfall is expected in Visakhapatnam, the erstwhile East and West Godavari districts, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, and Nellore districts.

Earlier today, officials made announcements, urging people to vacate their houses in Kothapatnam village, as a precautionary measure for Cyclone Montha. NDRF teams have been deployed in Uppada.

NDRF Inspector Biswas said, "Team is deployed here for 24 hours. We came here two days ago. I visited here yesterday as well. The areas which I feel need evacuation and people need to be taken to shelters, we are campaigning there. The cyclone is hitting this evening. There is no need to panic. We are coordinating with the local administration. I appeal to the people to reach shelters and cooperate with us."

The beach road of Kakinada and Uppada has been closed to prevent accidents after about 8-kilometre stretch of the road suffered damage this morning.

NTR district collector, Dr G. Lakshmisha, held a review meeting and said that the village-level response teams are kept on high alert as Vijayawada is expected to receive the "highest rainfall."

"To face the Cyclone Montha, NTR district administration is prepared and the central command control room is established. Everywhere, up to village-level response teams are kept on high alert. Today is the second day of Cyclone Montha. We are expecting the highest rainfall in Vijayawada city. So, to drain out the rainfall water, all the canals are kept vacant, and everyone is alert. All the departments, mainly the police, revenue, irrigation department, R&B department and electricity departments, are working in unison. The public is alerted well in advance, and they are all being shifted to the rehabilitation centres," the district collector said.

- ANI