Cyclone Montha intensified over the west-central Bay of Bengal on Tuesday, moving slowly towards the Andhra Pradesh coast and triggering widespread disruptions to transportation and daily life across coastal districts.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Andhra Pradesh and neighboring regions, warning that Montha is likely to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm before landfall. With wind speeds expected to reach 90ā100 kmph and gusts up to 110 kmph, authorities have urged residents to stay indoors and follow official safety advisories.As a precaution, railway authorities have cancelled over 65 passenger and express trains operating along key coastal routes.
The East Coast Railway confirmed that several trains connecting Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, and Vijayawada were suspended until conditions improve.
Airlines have also taken preventive measures, grounding all operations at Visakhapatnam Airport on October 28. Both IndiGo and Air India Express confirmed the cancellation of all services for the day, while connecting flights between Andhra and Chennai were also cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
Emergency response teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed to vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas. Officials said evacuation efforts and relief arrangements are being coordinated to ensure quick response to any potential flooding or storm damage.
The state government has arranged emergency shelters and medical aid teams in districts likely to be affected.
Power and water supply departments are on high alert to minimize service disruptions, while fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea. The IMDās latest bulletin indicated that Cyclone Montha is moving northwestward at a speed of about 12 kmph and could make landfall within the next 24 hours, accompanied by heavy to very heavy rainfall across coastal Andhra and adjoining Odisha and Tamil Nadu districts.
Authorities have reiterated appeals for public cooperation, emphasizing that strict adherence to safety measures would be critical to minimizing the impact of Montha as it continues its approach toward landfall.