Bhubaneswar: Cyclone ‘Montha’ is expected to make landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, about 200 km from Odisha’s Malkangiri, on the evening of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm.
“The cyclonic storm over southwest & adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 17 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centered at 11.30 am, about 480 km east of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 530 km south-southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 560 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 720 km south of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 890 km west of Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).”
“It is likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning. 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,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its special bulletin.
Montha is likely to bring sustained winds blowing at 90 to 100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, and trigger heavy rainfall, squally weather, and rough sea conditions along Odisha coast for the next two days. The cyclone would impact 15 districts, eight of which are under the red zone and may experience extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Red and orange warning has been issued for the districts of Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Khurda, Puri, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh and Sonepur on October 27-28-29. 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.
Rain warning for Odisha
Oct 27
Orange warning: Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) may occur at isolated places in the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam and Kandhamal.
Yellow warning: Heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) is also likely at isolated places in Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur.
Oct 28
Red warning: Scattered heavy to very heavy falls (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) may occur at isolated places in the districts of Malakangiri, Koraput, Rayagarh, Gajpati and Ganjam.
Orange warning: Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) may continue at isolated places in the districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Khurda, Puri, Bargarh.
Yellow warning: Heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) is also likely at isolated places in Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh.
Oct 29
Red warning: Scattered heavy to very heavy falls (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) may continue at isolated places in the districts of Malakangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Rayagada.
Orange warning: Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) is also likely at isolated places in Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Bargarh.
Yellow Warning: Heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) may occur at isolated places in Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapada.
Oct 30
Yellow warning: Heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) may occur at isolated places in the districts of Jarsuguda, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj
Wind warning
Squally weather with wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is prevailing along & off south Odisha coast, It is likely to increase to 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph from October 27 evening and become gale wind speed reaching, 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from October 28 to early hours of October 29.
Wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph may continue along and off south Odisha coast till October 29 evening and decrease gradually thereafter.
Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph may also prevail along and off north Odisha coast from October 28 evening till early hours of October 29 and 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph till October 29 evening, and decrease gradually thereafter.
Likely impact
The cyclone would impact 15 districts, eight of which – Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal – are under the red zone and may experience extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds.
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 15 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.
Odisha takes steps to mitigate cyclone’s impact
While all 30 districts in Odisha have been put on alert with men and machinery for rescue operations, in view of a possible change in the trajectory of the cyclone, people are being evacuated from low-lying and hilly terrains, susceptible to landslides, in the eight southern districts in apprehension of severe weather conditions.
The district collectors have been directed to complete evacuation from vulnerable zones by 5 pm, and to act firmly against black marketing of essential commodities. All Anganwadi centres and schools will remain closed in these eight districts till October 30.
Additionally, leaves of government officials and employees in these districts have been cancelled, informed Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Deoranjan Kumar Singh on Monday.
Over 5,000 highly skilled personnel in 24 teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF)—five from NDRF and 99 Fire Service teams in these eight districts as a precautionary measure. “As the red alert has been issued, 123 teams have been deployed at Berhampur RDC circle. Admins in southern Odisha districts are on guard. 144 teams will remain here to address urban flooding and other regular incidents. JCBs have been kept in the hilly areas so that the debris can be removed as quickly as possible. We appeal to all not to come out of their homes and follow the guidelines issued by the government,” Chief Fire Officer, Odisha, Ramesh Majhi told media.
Odisha has a history of being battered by cyclones emerging from the Bay of Bengal. The super cyclone of 1999 had hit the state on October 29, leaving behind an unprecedented trail of devastation. Phalini (2013), Hudhud (2014) and Titli (2018) also occurred in October while May cyclones, Fani tore through Puri in 2019 and Yaas made landfall south of Balasore in 2021.