Cyclone Montha: Andhra Pradesh, Odisha shut schools, colleges for two days as storm nears coast

The Andhra Pradesh and Odisha governments have declared holidays for schools and colleges for two days as Cyclone Montha approaches the coast. The India Meteorological Department on Monday said cyclonic storm Montha is likely to intensify into a severe cyclone by October 28 morning.

At least five districts in Andhra Pradesh – Kakinada, East Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru and West Godavari – have announced a slew of contingency plans, including evacuations from vulnerable zones, school closures, and advisories to coastal regions and fishermen, the Times of India reported.

Schools in Kakinada will remain closed from October 27 to 31 in view of heavy rainfall warning. Konaseema and Eluru administrations have also announced school closures. Konaseema collector R Mahesh Kumar directed all schools and colleges to be closed on October 27 and 28.

Eight districts in Odisha – Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Kalahandi – have been mapped as “red zones”. These areas are expected to experience more severe impacts along with heavy rainfall on October 28 and 29, the report added.

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Cyclone Montha to move towards AP

The weather system over the southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 15 km per hour (kmph) during the past six hours and lay centred over southwest and adjoining areas of westcentral and southeast Bay of Bengal at 5.30 am today.

"It is likely to continue to move northwestwards over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours and then north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning," said an official release from the Met Department.

According to the Met Department, Montha lay over latitude 12.2 degrees north and 85.3 degrees east at 5.30 am today, about 620 km south to southeast of Kakinada, 650 km south to southeast of Vizag, 560 km east to southeast of Chennai, 790 km south of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 810 km west of Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).

Later, the weather system is expected to move further north-northwestwards to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the evening and night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of up to 110 kmph.