Cyclone Montha begins landfall near Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada, state on high alert

Derived from the Thai word for a fragrant flower, Montha is moving north-northwestwards and is expected to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, around Kakinada, within the next few hours.

The storm is likely to sustain wind speeds of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, according to IMD’s latest update.

The impact is predicted to be most severe in Kakinada, Krishna, Eluru, East and West Godavari, Dr. BR Ambedkar Konaseema, and the Chinturu and Rampachodavaram divisions of Alluri Sitarama Raju district.

In a bid to ensure safety, the Andhra Pradesh government has imposed a complete ban on vehicle movement in these seven districts from 8:30 pm Tuesday to 6:00 am Wednesday.

The IMD has also warned of possible damage to standing paddy and vegetable crops in inundated and low-lying areas. Farmers have been advised to drain excess water from fields to minimize losses.

Authorities have ramped up preparedness with 81 wireless towers and 21 high-mast lamps to maintain emergency communication, along with 1,447 earthmovers, 321 drones, and 1,040 chainsaws on standby to clear fallen trees.

Over 3.6 crore alert messages have been sent to residents across the state.

Rainfall has already intensified, with Ulavapadu in Nellore district recording 12.6 cm, followed by Kavali (12.2 cm), Dagadarthi (12 cm), Singarayakonda (10.5 cm), B Kodur (6 cm), and Visakhapatnam and Tuni (2 cm each) between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm.

During a review meeting, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was informed that Nellore district has so far recorded the highest rainfall due to the cyclone’s outer bands.