Cyclone Montha tracker LIVE: Cyclone Montha makes landfall; coastal Andhra braces for impact

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and the Meteorological Department on Monday forecast high sea waves along the Andhra Pradesh coast from Nellore to Srikakulam, ranging between 2 and 4.7 metres as cyclone 'Montha' is set to intensify into a cyclonic storm on October 28 morning.

According to a joint bulletin from both the agencies, the high waves are expected for six hours, between 5:30 pm and 11:30 today. (PTI)

“It is likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by morning of 28th October. Continuing to move further north-northwestwards, it is very likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during evening/night of 28th October as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.”

Cyclone Montha is likely to intensify into a 'Severe Cyclonic Storm' (SCS) and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam during the evening and night of October 28, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday. (ANI)

Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre predicted heavy to very heavy rain with sustained wind speed of 30-40 kmph. Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts will most likely feel the impact.

• North Interior Karnataka

Heavy rain and thundershowers are likely in Bagalkot, Koppal, Raichur, Belagavi and Gadag districts. “Light to Moderate rain/thundershowers likely to occur at many places over Bidar, Dharwad, Haveri, Kalburgi, Vijayapura and Yadgir districts,” the Monitoring Centre said.

• South Interior Karnataka

Heavy rain and thundershowers are likely in Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Kodagu, and Mysuru districts.

It added, “Light to Moderate rain/thundershowers likely to occur at many places over Ballari, Bengaluru (Rural), Bengaluru (Urban), Chamarajanagara, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Hassan, Mandya, Ramanagara, Shivamogga, Tumakuru and Vijayanagara districts.”

IMD in its latest press releases stated, “Extremely heavy rainfall (≥21 cm) likely at isolated places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam during 27th–29th and Telangana on 28th October.”

Andhra Pradesh's key districts that are most at risk from Cyclone Montha impact are Tirupati, Annamayya, Nellore, YSR Kadapa, Prakasham, Bapatla, Chittor, Nadyal, Palnadu, Guntur, Krishna, East and West Godavari, Konaseema, Kakinada, Anakapalli, Alluri Seetharamaraju, Visakhapatnam, Eluru, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Parvathi Puram Manyam, as per IMD.

"Evacuation of people from near the coast in Kakinada district has already started," Reuters quoted a disaster management official in Andhra Pradesh as saying. According to an official report, nearly 50,000 people have been moved to relief camps. Evacuation operation is in progress in low-lying areas of the state, where around 39 lakh people reside.

IMD issued red alert for October 28, predicting heavy rains in Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mahabubabad districts of Telangana.

An orange warning is in place for several other districts. IMD said, “Heavy to Very Heavy Rainfall accompanied with Thunderstorm, Lightning and Gusty winds (40-50 kmph) very likely to occur at isolated places in KomuramBheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Peddapalli, Khammam, Warangal, Hanumakonda districts of Telangana.”

As cyclonic storm Montha prepares to make landfall near Kakinada, a user on social media platform X posted a video of dark clouds covering Antarvedi beach of Andhra Pradesh. The caption to the post states, “Cyclone #Montha effect near Antharvedi beach of Konaseema district in Coastl Andhra.”

Puri administration imposed restrictions on the entry of tourists to the sea beaches on October 27, 28 and 29 as Odisha prepares for Cyclone Montha's impact.