Cyclone Montha Intensifies Over Bay of Bengal; High Alert in Andhra Pradesh, Likely to Impact Maharashtra and Neighboring States

Hyderabad / Mumbai:
The Montha Cyclone forming over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The storm is expected to make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast by Tuesday evening, prompting authorities to issue a high alert across several coastal districts.

The cyclone, currently hovering near the Machilipatnam–Kalingapatnam belt, is likely to bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds across large parts of Andhra Pradesh. IMD officials have warned fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea and advised coastal residents to remain indoors.

IMD’s senior meteorologist G. N. R. S. Srinivas Rao stated,

“Cyclone Montha is expected to cross the Andhra coast near Machilipatnam by Tuesday evening. We’ve issued an Orange Alert for the districts of Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, and Mulugu due to the risk of heavy rains and strong winds. Other northeastern districts are under Yellow Alert.”

Impact on Maharashtra and Other States

Although Andhra Pradesh is expected to bear the brunt of the cyclone, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal will also experience moderate effects as the storm moves inland.

In Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region, moderate rainfall accompanied by strong winds is expected, particularly in the eastern districts. The IMD has warned of temporary disruptions in transport and agriculture activities due to heavy showers and wind gusts.

Simultaneously, a low-pressure area has formed over the Arabian Sea, which is already bringing rainfall to the Konkan coast and Western Ghats. Combined with Montha’s influence, rain activity across Maharashtra is likely to continue for the next few days.

The weather department anticipates the cyclone’s intensity to weaken after October 28–29, bringing gradual improvement in weather conditions thereafter.