Cyclone Montha, which formed in the Bay of Bengal, is rapidly moving towards the east coast. The threat of heavy rain and storm surge has increased in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in several districts of these states.
Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Chief Prakhar Jain said that Cyclone Montha has begun approaching the coast. Rain and strong winds are lashing coastal districts. It is moving ahead at a speed of 18 km per hour and is expected to make landfall on the Kakinada coast on the evening or night of October 28.
2 die in Kerala
Heavy rain in Kerala inundated low-lying areas, killing two people. Strong winds are also blowing. The IMD has issued an orange alert in five districts. A fisherman's boat capsized in Alappuzha, and another person died due to lightning strike in Ernakulam.
Evacuation of people from coastal areas begins in Odisha
The Odisha government has begun evacuating people from coastal areas. 128 rescue teams have been deployed in eight districts: Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal.
All schools will remain closed till Oct 30
Pregnant women, the elderly, and the disabled are being given priority. Relief centers are equipped with food, medicine, lighting, and pet supplies. All schools and Anganwadi centers will remain closed until October 30 in the affected districts.
Red alert of heavy rain in 4 states
Andhra Pradesh PM Narendra Modi spoke with Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and reviewed the situation. Heavy rain is expected in Andhra's Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, and West Godavari districts.
Odisha About 128 teams (about 5,000 personnel) of the NDRF, ODRAF, and Fire Service have been deployed. Light rain began on Monday, and wind speeds could reach 80 to 110 kmph on October 28-29.
Tamil Nadu Chennai and the three surrounding districts of Ranipet, Tiruvallur, and Kanchipuram have also been warned of heavy to very heavy rain. Rain is also expected in Puducherry and Villupuram.
West Bengal Heavy rain and landslides are expected in several districts of Bengal from Tuesday to Friday, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, 24 Parganas, Medinipur, Bardhaman, Birbhum, and Murshidabad.
Prakash Kumar Pandey