Cyclone Montha: IMD predicts heavy rainfall over Odisha, West Bengal for 2 days; Andhra Pradesh braces for landfall

Cyclone Montha is likely to intensify as a severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday, and the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall over parts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal for two days. The cyclone will cross the Andhra Pradesh coast on Tuesday evening, the weather agency said.

 

As per a bulletin released by IMD, the Montha is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28. "It will cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during evening/night of October 28," it said. 

 

The agency has forecast extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over south Odisha on October 28 and 29; heavy rains also predicted over  Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. 

The weather agency said, "Storm surge of height about 1m above astronomical tide is likely to cause inundation over low-lying areas of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam (of Puducherry) around the landfall time."

IMD advised fishermen against venturing into the sea and to move people living in low-lying areas to safer areas. Rehabilitation camps have been opened in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha owing to heavy rains in the region.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and took stock of the situation. According to Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), the landfall of the cyclone has begun, and coastal regions are experiencing heavy rains. 

Chief Minister Naidu advised authorities to take all necessary precautionary measures in view of landfall. Naidu held a review meeting with officials over the weather situation, and instructed officials to monitor the movement of the cyclone on an hourly basis.

Under the influence of the cyclone, heavy to very heavy rains are likely in Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, NTR, Palnadu and West Godavari districts.

India