1. What is Cyclone Montha?
A powerful weather system has formed over the Bay of Bengal and been named Montha by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) — the term was contributed by Thailand and means “fragrant flower” or “beautiful flower” in Thai. www.ndtv.com+1
-
It originated as a deep depression and was upgraded into a cyclonic storm as of late October 26 –27. India Today+1
-
It’s forecasted to further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning. Moneycontrol+1
2. Where and when is it likely to make landfall?
-
The most likely landfall zone is between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, close to Kakinada on the coast of Andhra Pradesh. India Today+1
-
Timing: Evening/night of October 28 is the window mentioned by the IMD. mint
3. What are the expected impacts?
-
Wind speeds: Sustained winds of 90–100 km/h, with gusts reaching up to about 110 km/h. India Today+1
-
Rainfall: Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected. For example, coastal Andhra is forecasted to receive isolated extremely heavy rainfall (21+ cm) between October 27–29. The Times of India+1
-
Areas of risk:
-
Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam: October 26–30 mint+1
-
Southern Odisha (including districts like Malkangiri, Koraput etc) under “red alert” status for very heavy rainfall and strong winds. The Times of India+1
-
-
Sea & maritime risk: Rough to very high seas, storm surge possibility in low-lying coastal areas. India Today+1
4. What are authorities doing?
-
In Andhra Pradesh: Schools have been closed across multiple districts ahead of landfall. The Times of India+1
-
In Odisha: Eight districts identified as high-vulnerability “red zones”, evacuation underway, relief centres ready. Asianet Newsable+1
-
Disaster response teams (state & national) are on standby, essential supplies pre-positioned. The Economic Times
5. Why should you care (especially if you're in India)?
-
Even if you are not directly in the immediate landfall zone, adjacent states (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana) may face heavy rains, wind-gusts, flooding and disruptions. Hindustan Times+1
-
Early preparation can save lives, reduce infrastructure damage, protect agriculture and livelihoods.
-
With a storm of this magnitude, communication and awareness are critical — for communities, bloggers, media and public alike.
0 Comments