Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Tuesday confirmed that the landfall process of Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha has begun along the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada.
The storm, classified as a Severe Cyclonic Storm, is packing sustained winds of 90 to 100 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 110 kilometres per hour, the IMD said in its evening update.
According to the latest IMD bulletin, the cyclone is moving north-northwest and is expected to complete landfall over the next three to four hours. During this time, coastal districts are likely to experience heavy rainfall, strong gale-force winds, and storm surges that may inundate low-lying areas.
Authorities have advised residents in vulnerable coastal regions to remain indoors and stay away from the shoreline until the storm fully crosses the coast. Disaster response and emergency teams have been deployed across the affected districts, and rescue and relief operations are on standby.
