Cyclone Montha to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam tonight; heavy rain, squally winds and flash-flood risk for Andhra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru.
Cyclone Montha to Make Landfall Near Kakinada
Cyclone Montha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday as it tracked north-northwest toward the Andhra coast, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam (near Kakinada) during the evening or night of October 28. Maximum sustained winds were estimated at 90–100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph, and the system’s broad rain bands have already produced heavy showers in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu.
Authorities mobilised disaster response resources in advance: more than 20–25 NDRF teams were deployed across affected states, hundreds of relief centres set up in Andhra Pradesh, and thousands of villagers were evacuated from vulnerable low-lying pockets. Flight and rail services were disrupted — dozens of flights cancelled and multiple trains taken off schedules — as airports and railway authorities adjusted operations for safety.
The IMD has flagged a flash-flood risk not only for coastal districts but also for inland urban centres; Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts were placed on alert for sudden waterlogging as Montha’s outer bands interact with local catchments and drains. Local civic bodies are being asked to clear drains, pre-position pumps and alert residents in flood-prone neighbourhoods. Expect short-duration, very heavy rainfall events that can overwhelm urban drainage and cause rapid inundation.
