Bhubaneswar: Cyclonic Storm “Montha” has formed over southwest & adjoining areas of westcentral and southeast Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Monday.
At 5.30 am, the storm was about 560 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 620 km south-southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 650 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 790 km south of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 810 km west of Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).
It is likely to continue to move northwestwards over southwest & adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours, then north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by morning of October 28.
The weather agency further added that, 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 October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.
The system is expected to trigger very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Odisha from October 27.
The Odisha government has begun evacuating people from low-lying and hilly terrains, susceptible to landslides, of the eight southern districts in apprehension of severe weather conditions. As many as 139 such places have been identified in Gajapati district, where 12 people died due to landslides when Cyclone Titli hit the state’s coast in 2018. The administration has also deployed modern equipment to clear roads in case of landslides.
Pregnant women and elderly persons are also being evacuated to hospitals and safe shelters.
As a precautionary measure, 24 teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), five from NDRF and 99 Fire Service teams have been deployed across these southern districts.
Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Kalahandi are under the red zone, where the impact of the cyclone is expected to be more. However, all 30 districts in the state have been put on high alert.
An alert has also been sounded across the Odisha coast from Ganjam to Balasore, with authorities urging fishermen not to venture into the sea till October 30.
FORECAST FOR ODISHA
The IMD has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) at isolated places in the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam and Kandhamal on October 27. Heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) may also occur at isolated places in Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur.
The intensity of rain may increase in the subsequent two days.
A red warning of scattered heavy to very heavy falls (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) has been issued for Malakangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam on October 28, and Malakangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Rayagada on October 29,. The wind speed is likely to reach 60 to 70 kmph gusting up to 80 kmph in these districts.
Similarly, heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) may occur at isolated places in the districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda and Puri on October 28, and Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, Kandhamal, Gajapati and Ganjam on October 29. These districts may witness comparatively milder winds ranging from 40 to 50 kmph gusting up to 60 kmph.
Yellow warning of heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) has been issued for Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Angul, Dhenkanla, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Deogarh on October 28, and Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapada on October 29 with wind speed reaching 40 to 50 kmph, gusting to 50 kmph.
The IMD has also warned of squally weather with wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph may prevail along & off south Odisha coast from October 26 evening. It is likely to increase to 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph from October 27 evening and becoming gale wind speed reaching, 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from October 28 evening to early hours of October 29. The wind speed may decrease gradually thereafter, becoming 45- 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph by October 29 evening.
Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph may also prevail from October 28 evening to early hours of October 29 along and off north Odisha coast, becoming 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph till October 29 evening and decrease gradually thereafter.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into Southwest, adjoining central Bay of Bengal.
IMPACT
Red and orange warning have been issued for Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Gajapati Kandhamal, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Balangir and Boudh.
According to the IMD, the approaching cyclonic storm could severely damage thatched homes and huts, with strong winds potentially blowing away rooftops and loose metal sheets in these 16 districts. Power and communication lines may be disrupted due to damage, causing connectivity issues.Additionally, the agency warns of damage to kutcha roads, partial harm to pucca roads, and flooding of escape routes in multiple areas. Large trees may be uprooted, and branches or dead limbs could break, endangering people and property. Banana and papaya plantations are likely to face extensive destruction, while paddy, horticultural, and standing crops may suffer significant losses due to flooding and strong winds.