Cyclone Montha Set to Lash Andhra Coast Tonight Heavy Rains Ahead

The eastern coast of India is on high alert as Cyclone Montha getting close to the Andhra Pradesh shoreline. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the storm likely to make landfall near Kakinada late tonight, bringing strong winds, heavy rains and chances of flooding in coastal districts.

Authorities in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu has already started full preparations. Disaster management teams, police forces and local volunteers has been moved to low-lying areas, and evacuation is going on. Fishermen has been warned not to go in sea until further notice as the waves are expected to be very high and dangerous.

The cyclone, which formed over Bay of Bengal earlier this week, is moving northwest with wind speed between 90 to 110 km per hour. IMD has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall across East Godavari, Visakhapatnam and nearby districts. Schools has been closed for safety, and power companies are getting ready for outages if trees fall or electric lines damaged.

People living in coastal towns are being told to keep enough food, water and medicine and stay inside their homes. In Odisha and north Tamil Nadu, moderate to heavy rains will continue next two days, with strong winds hitting the coast.

The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh appealed people to stay calm and not to panic, saying the government is fully prepared to handle the situation. Relief camps has been opened in low-lying zones and rescue boats are ready for emergency use.

As Cyclone Montha coming more close to land, experts said even a small change in its direction can change its impact. The next 10 to 12 hours are very important to see how much damage it can make. For many families living near sea, tonight will be full of worry and prayers hoping the storm pass without much harm.