Heavy Rains Lash AP as Cyclone Montha Starts Closing In
Trains, flights cancelled; fisherfolk warned against venturing into sea
Visakhapatnam: Heavy to very heavy rains, accompanied by gales, lashed parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh as Cyclone Montha started closing in towards the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada by Tuesday evening or the following morning.
Around 43 trains and all IndiGo and Air India flights scheduled on Tuesday have been cancelled.
Official machinery, NDRF and SDRF teams have already been deployed across the coastal areas to take up rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures.
According to the satellite imagery updates available with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday, Cyclone Montha reached 480 km east of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 530 km south-southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 560 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 720 km south of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 890 km west of Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).
The cyclonic storm is expected to move north, northwest-wards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday (October 28) morning. Continuing to move in the same direction, it is very likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada by Tuesday evening or the following morning as a severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 90–100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.
As a result, Cyclone Montha is likely to uproot power structures and trees, disrupting power supply and communication.
On Monday, parts of Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Konaseema, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, East Godavari, Eluru, NTR, Palnadu, Nandyal, Y.S.R. Kadapa, Annamayya, Tirupati and Chittoor districts in the state have experienced heavy rainfall.
On Tuesday, the IMD has forecast extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over the districts of Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru, West Godavari, NTR, Krishna, Palnadu, Guntur, Bapatla and Prakasam, while heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over Nellore, Nandyal, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya and Tirupati districts.
On Wednesday (October 29), extremely heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, Eluru, West Godavari, NTR, Krishna and Guntur districts, while heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari, Konaseema, Palnadu, Bapatla and Prakasam districts.
Gale winds with speed reaching 60–70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph are likely to prevail, before attaining speeds of 90–100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph from Tuesday evening along and off the Andhra Pradesh Coast and Yanam.
Cautionary signals have been hoisted at all the ports in the state. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till Thursday, October 30.
