Montha Set To Hit Kakinada: Massive Preparedness Measures Are Underway Across Andhra Pradesh
October 27:
The cyclonic storm ‘Montha” over the southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 15 Kmph and lay centred at 0530 hours IST today, the 27th October’2025, over southwest and adjoining areas of westcentral and southeast Bay of Bengal about 560 km east-southeast of Chennai(Tamilnadu), 620 km south-southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 650 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam ( Andhra Pradesh, 790km south of Gopalpur (Odisha) and also 810 km west of Port Blair.
Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are urgently intensifying efforts to prevent any loss of life and property. The IMD’s latest bulletin warns that Cyclone Montha will rapidly move northwestwards over the Bay of Bengal in the next 12 hours, intensify further, and then threaten to shift north-northwestwards towards the Andhra coast.
In line with this alert, landfall is expected between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada during the evening or night of October 28, accompanied by heavy rainfall, strong winds, and rough to very rough sea conditions along the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal.
In urgent response to the impending threat, the Andhra Pradesh government has announced a decisive full-scale action plan for cyclone preparedness, covering relief, supplies, and emergency management. State Civil Supplies Minister N. Manohar emphasized that the plan mobilizes all resources, from rapidly securing Public Distribution System (PDS) commodities and managing fuel inventory to immediate paddy procurement and food supply in relief shelters.
The government has stocked supplies at Mandal Level Stock Points, with 40% moved in coastal districts. District collectors and oil companies have been told to keep petrol, diesel, and LPG stocked to ensure power backup at telecom towers, hospitals, control rooms, and cyclone shelters.
Paddy procurement centres will open early to assist farmers bringing in harvested paddy, while nearly 1,500 mills linked to Rythu Service Kendras have been told to provide drying spaces and covers for wet produce.
Over 50,000 tarpaulins, ropes, sandbags, and plastic sheets are in place for crop protection. District collectors have been authorised to draw essential commodities for cyclone shelters, and post-cyclone relief stock is pre-positioned across mandals.
On the Visakhapatnam coast, Rishikonda and Sagar Nagar beaches have been urgently closed as the cyclone threatens the area. Officials have issued stern warnings for tourists to avoid the shore. Police have dramatically heightened security and surveillance in response to the increasingly dangerous strong winds and high waves.
Following these closures, around 6,000 families living in thatched and vulnerable coastal huts will be evacuated by October 27 evening. In addition, holidays have been declared for all educational institutions on October 28 and 29.
Moreover, a total of 624 habitations have been earmarked for rehabilitation and relief centres. Authorities anticipate winds up to 120 kmph, which may damage electric poles and uproot trees.
To support these measures, NDRF teams have been rapidly deployed and kept on high alert. Cranes and tree-cutting machines are strategically stationed across coastal mandals, prepared for immediate debris clearance as the cyclone approaches.
