The landfall process of Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha commenced along the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kakinada on October 28, 2025, unleashing winds of 90–100 kmph with gusts up to 110 kmph, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Centred at 15.8°N, 82.4°E over the west-central Bay of Bengal around 4:30 PM IST—approximately 50 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam and 130 km south of Kakinada—the cyclone is advancing north-northwest at 15 kmph, poised to cross between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam within the next 3–4 hours. This marks the first major cyclonic event in the Bay of Bengal this season, formed from a low-pressure area that intensified rapidly since October 25, highlighting the region's vulnerability to climate-amplified storms amid rising sea surface temperatures.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has placed coastal districts on maximum alert, deploying over 20 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams across Krishna, East Godavari, West Godavari, and Visakhapatnam. Evacuations have commenced from low-lying areas, with fishing boats recalled and schools, colleges, and Anganwadi centres converted into shelters for up to 50,000 people. Naidu directed round-the-clock monitoring via the Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority (APDMA), emphasising timely relief distribution and power backups to mitigate outages expected from gale-force winds. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) warned of rough to very rough seas escalating to extremely high by evening, advising fisherfolk to stay ashore. In neighbouring Odisha, over 3,000 residents—including pregnant women and the elderly—from vulnerable coastal pockets in Ganjam and Puri have been relocated, with the state bracing for heavy downpours that could trigger flash floods.

The cyclone's expansive rain bands are set to drench multiple states, with IMD issuing orange alerts for heavy to very heavy rainfall (115–204 mm in 24 hours) in Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and south coastal Odisha until October 29, alongside yellow warnings for northern Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, where urban flooding risks loom. Jharkhand faces similar precipitation through October 31, potentially disrupting agriculture in already monsoon-weary regions. Montha's formation aligns with a La Niña-influenced pattern, which has spurred five cyclones in the Indian Ocean in 2025—two more than average—exacerbating economic losses estimated at ₹15,000 crore from prior events like Cyclone Dana in August. Environmental experts link intensified cyclones to a 1.2°C warmer Bay of Bengal, urging enhanced mangrove restoration and early warning systems under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project.

Also Read: Deep Depression Intensifies over Bay of Bengal, Andhra Coast Braces for Impact

As the eye approaches, authorities urge residents to avoid coastal roads and heed evacuation orders, with helplines (1070 for Andhra, 112 for emergencies) operational. The IMD forecasts Montha weakening to a deep depression post-landfall by October 29 morning, shifting westwards into Telangana and bringing isolated heavy rains. This event tests India's multi-layered disaster framework, refined since the 1999 Odisha super cyclone that killed 10,000, but underscores gaps in climate-resilient infrastructure. With real-time satellite tracking via INSAT-3D and Doppler radars in Vijayawada, response teams remain vigilant, aiming to safeguard lives in a storm-prone arc that affects 250 million coastal dwellers annually.

Also Read: Cyclone Montha Roars Toward Andhra Coast; Thousands Evacuated Amid Flooding, Power Cuts