Cyclone Montha Intensifies, Andhra Coast Braces for Impact

The Cyclonic Storm Montha, currently churning over the west-central Bay of Bengal, has escalated to a severe cyclonic storm and is anticipated to strike the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, by Tuesday evening or night, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The storm's north-northwest advance clocked at 15 kmph over the previous six hours, with its epicenter at 0530 hrs IST today, October 28, 2025. The IMD reports its position as approximately 190 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 270 km south-southeast of Kakinada, 340 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam, and 550 km south-southwest of Gopalpur, Odisha.

Heavy rains are already impacting several coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha districts as Montha approaches, expected to unleash winds up to 110 kmph. The cyclone's effects include rough seas and storm conditions reported in Ganjam, Odisha, and rainfall in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, and Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Andhra Pradesh's authorities, led by CM Chandrababu Naidu, have initiated evacuation protocols and stressed safe shelter provisions.