Andhra On Alert As Cyclone Montha Likely To Cross Kakinada Coast On Tuesday

With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting that Cyclone Montha is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada coast on October 28, the state's Chief Secretary K Vijayanand has instructed all district collectors and officials to remain on high alert and take all necessary precautionary measures.

He held a teleconference with officials on Saturday to review the state's preparedness for the impending cyclone. The Chief Secretary directed that control rooms be set up immediately in all mandals expected to be affected. Collectors were also instructed to ensure that field-level staff remain available in villages at all times.

The IMD has predicted that the cyclone may make landfall near Kakinada by the evening or night of October 28. Winds with speeds of 90-100 km/h are expected, with the cyclone's impact likely to begin from Sunday, October 26. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also forecast for the coastal districts.

IMD Weather Alert:

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over several southern and eastern states in the coming days.

States affected: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Coastal Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Odisha, Saurashtra & Chhattisgarh.

Dates: Oct 26–30, 2025

🌧️ Extremely… pic.twitter.com/pA06u8Pvrs

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 25, 2025

The Well marked low-Pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards, concentrated into a Depression and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 25th October 2025, over the same region, near latitude 10.8°N & longitude 89.0°E, about 420 km west-southwest of… pic.twitter.com/gnY9OWyr7H

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 25, 2025

The Chief Secretary cautioned fishermen not to venture into the sea from today. He instructed the Civil Supplies Department to ensure adequate availability of essential commodities such as drinking water, milk, vegetables, and candles in all key areas.

He further directed district collectors to be prepared to evacuate residents from low-lying and vulnerable villages to safer places if necessary, and to keep cyclone shelters and rehabilitation centers ready for immediate use.

Collectors were told to closely monitor electricity supply systems and ensure prompt restoration of power if any outages occur due to the cyclone.

In case trees fall and block roads, immediate measures must be taken to clear them and restore traffic flow.

He also ordered that, in case of disruptions to telecommunication networks, officials coordinate with telecom operators to restore services promptly by deploying generators at mobile towers.

As part of precautionary measures, the Chief Secretary directed collectors to continuously monitor water levels in reservoirs, canals, and rivers to prevent flooding and minimise its impact.

Pregnant women in low-lying and island villages should be shifted to nearby health centers in advance, he added.

He appealed to the public to avoid travel during the cyclone unless absolutely necessary.

The Chief Secretary emphasised that all field-level officers and staff must stay on the highest alert and continuously monitor updates and warnings issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).