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New Delhi:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red and orange alerts for several southern Odisha districts as Cyclone Montha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal
Here are the top 10 points in this story:
- Cyclone Montha is expected to hit Andhra Pradesh with a maximum wind speed of 90-100 kmph, with the entire coastal region being on high alert.
- Briefing the media, Bhubaneswar IMD Director Dr Manorama Mohanty said the cyclone currently lies about 510 km south-southwest of Gopalpur. "It is very likely to move north-northwestward and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, around Kakinada, during the evening or night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm," she stated.
- At the time of landfall, which is likely around midnight, the wind speed is expected to range between 90 and 110 km per hour, she added.
- After hitting the Andhra coast, Cyclone Montha will slow down somewhat and move towards Odisha, Dr Mohapatra told NDTV.
- The IMD has issued red warnings for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, and Kalahandi districts. Orange and yellow warnings have been issued for Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Ganjam, and Puri districts, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely
- South Central Railway and East Coast Railway have announced the cancellation of over 100 trains for the next two days.
- In the wake of Montha, over 35 flights between Shamshabad in Telangana and Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Rajahmundry airports in Andhra Pradesh have been cancelled, GMR Airports said.
- The government has deployed 22 teams of the National Disaster Response Force in all five states that are likely to be affected -- Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh.
- The authorities have advised people to remain indoors. People in coastal areas have been asked to move to relief camps. With the sea turning rough and a possibility of high tidal waves, fishermen have been advised not to venture out to sea. All beaches have been shut for tourists.
- In the wake of heavy rainfall expected in 39 constituencies in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the Ministers, MPs, and MLAs to provide assistance to the people affected. Officials informed the Chief Minister that heavy rainfall is expected in Visakhapatnam, the erstwhile East and West Godavari districts, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, and Nellore districts.
