Indian authorities shut schools and moved tens of thousands of residents to safer ground Tuesday as Cyclone Montha strengthened over the Bay of Bengal and tracked toward Andhra Pradesh’s coast.
The system, now a severe cyclonic storm, is expected to make landfall near Kakinada late Tuesday, according to the Indian Meteorological Department. By afternoon, forecasters placed the center about 160 kilometers southeast of Machilipatnam and warned of sustained winds between 90 and 110 kph, heavy rain, and rough seas. The IMD said red alerts are in place across 19 districts in Andhra Pradesh, with neighboring Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka likely to see moderate to heavy rainfall.
On the field, action moved into top gear. Officals reported nearly 38,000 evacuated so far and others standing by as crews went door-to-door in open villages. More than 1,900 relief centers are functioning and dozens of schools serve as shelters. Passenger schedules have been routed too: schools are closed through Wednesday, trains and planes are delayed, and fishing boats are steered to shore. In Odisha, disaster authorities began evacuating residents from exposed coastal districts as a precaution, officials said.
Emergency personnel urged citizens to move out, avoid the seashore, and secure loose objects. The worst dangers: a deadly storm surge at landfall, urban flash flooding, and gale-force gusts knocking down weak structures, the IMD further added. While the coastline bracing for the worst, authorities maintain the response is simple—evacuate people to safety before the bad weather sets in.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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