Cyclone Montha heads for Andhra coast: States on high alert, 900 ships shepherded to safety

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into Cyclone Montha, which is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on Tuesday evening or night as a severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds reaching up to 100 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

According to the latest update issued by the IMD, the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified into a deep depression. "The depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved nearly west-northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past six hours, intensified into a Deep Depression and lay centred at 0000 UTC of October 26 over the same region, near latitude 11.1°N and longitude 87.2°E," the IMD said. 

It was positioned about 610 km west of Port Blair, 790 km east-southeast of Chennai, 850 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam, and 950 km south-southeast of Gopalpur. The system is likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal within the next 24 hours. Thereafter, it may move northwestwards and further strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28, before making landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, around Kakinada.

At a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) chaired by Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan, the Centre reviewed preparedness with the governments of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Puducherry. "The aim should be to ensure zero loss of lives and minimise damage to property and infrastructure," Somanathan said, directing all agencies to ensure essential services are restored quickly after landfall.

The NDRF has kept its teams ready for deployment, with additional forces on standby. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard have also positioned their rescue-and-relief teams, ships, and aircraft for quick mobilisation. 

The Indian Coast Guard said it has already shepherded 985 fishing boats from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry back to shore and alerted all remaining vessels to return. "Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft over the sea, along with radar stations along the coasts, are alerting fishermen to exercise caution and requesting fishing vessels to return to the nearest harbour at the earliest," the force said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government said it has prepared an action plan for relief and essential supplies under pre-cyclone preparedness for Cyclone Montha. The plan covers stock positioning of Public Distribution System (PDS) commodities, fuel inventory management, paddy procurement, and food supply to relief shelters. "The supply of food grains to all fair price shops in coastal areas shall be completed by October 26 and sufficient stock is already placed at Mandal Level Stock Points," he said.

District collectors have been asked to ensure fuel availability for backup power at telecom towers, hospitals, and cyclone shelters, and to coordinate with oil marketing companies for uninterrupted supply. Relief materials such as tarpaulins, sandbags, and plastic sheets have been stocked across Rythu Service Kendras for emergency distribution.

Chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry, along with the additional chief secretary of Odisha, informed the NCMC that shelters and evacuation plans were in place, and district control rooms have been activated. Central ministries assured that all standard operating procedures are being followed and precautionary measures have been taken to minimise damage.

The IMD has warned of heavy rainfall across coastal Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu over the next few days as the system intensifies. Fishermen have been advised **not to venture into the sea from October 26 to 29, and those already at sea have been urged to return immediately.