Once again, the Bay of Bengal has reminded the eastern coast of India that the sea holds its own calendar — indifferent to human plans. On October 28, 2025, Cyclone Montha made landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, carrying winds of 90 to 100 kilometers per hour and heavy rainfall across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Named for beautiful flowers by Thailand's meteorological service, the storm arrived as a study in nature's contradictions — delicate nomenclature wrapped around a force capable of displacing millions. The days ahead will measure not only the
Cyclone Montha Makes Landfall; IMD Issues Red Alert Across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
Potential for significant displacement and injury from cyclone winds and flooding across multiple coastal districts in eastern India.
Stay indoors once winds intensify and rain becomes heavy.
Mark
So this cyclone actually made landfall—it's not just a threat anymore, it's already hitting the coast?
Mimi
Yes, it crossed on October 28. It came ashore between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The winds are expected to be 90 to 100 kilometers per hour, and there's heavy rainfall predicted across multiple states.
Luke
When you say "expected to be," are those winds happening now or are those forecasts for what's coming as it moves inland?
Mimi
Those are the forecasts from the IMD for what the system will bring as it moves through the region. The landfall itself has occurred, but the heaviest impacts are still unfolding.
Mark
Why did they issue red alerts in three different states if the landfall was in Andhra Pradesh?
Mimi
Because cyclones don't stop at state borders. The rainfall and wind effects spread inland. Odisha and Telangana are in the path of the system as it moves, so they got red alerts for their most vulnerable districts.
Luke
The source mentions red alerts for specific districts in each state. How many people are we talking about in those zones?
Mimi
The source doesn't give population figures for the alert zones, so I can't say exactly. But these are coastal and near-coastal districts, so we're talking about significant populations in areas that are historically vulnerable to cyclones.
Mark
What's actually different about this cyclone compared to others that hit this region?
Mimi
The source doesn't make that comparison. What we know is the wind speed forecast, the rainfall prediction, and which districts are at highest risk. The name comes from Thailand and means beautiful flowers, but that's more of a naming convention than anything that tells us about its severity.
Luke
So we don't have a sense of whether this is a major cyclone or a moderate one by historical standards?
Mimi
Not from this reporting. We have the wind speeds and the alert levels, which suggest it's serious enough to warrant red alerts and NDRF deployment, but the source doesn't contextualize it against past storms.
Mark
The authorities deployed NDRF and SDRF teams—what does that actually mean on the ground?
Mimi
Those are emergency response forces positioned to handle rescue operations, provide shelter, and manage immediate crises as the storm hits. It's a sign that the government is expecting significant disruption and preparing to respond quickly.
El Pulso
- A low-pressure system that formed quietly over the Bay of Bengal on October 26 intensified rapidly, becoming a full cyclonic storm by the time it struck land just two days later.
- Red alerts — the highest warning level — were issued across districts in three states simultaneously, signaling that the danger was neither isolated nor predictable in its path.
- Millions of coastal residents faced urgent directives: move to shelters, charge devices, secure loose objects, and stay entirely away from the sea as winds and flooding threatened to reshape the landscape.
- NDRF and SDRF teams were pre-positioned across Andhra Pradesh's coastal districts, a deployment that reflected official expectations of serious structural damage, flooding, and potential casualties.
- As the cyclone moved inland, the risk expanded beyond the coast — landslides, power outages, and extreme rainfall threatened communities across a footprint stretching hundreds of kilometers through multiple states.
Once again, the Bay of Bengal has reminded the eastern coast of India that the sea holds its own calendar — indifferent to human plans. On October 28, 2025, Cyclone Montha made landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, carrying winds of 90 to 100 kilometers per hour and heavy rainfall across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Named for beautiful flowers by Thailand's meteorological service, the storm arrived as a study in nature's contradictions — delicate nomenclature wrapped around a force capable of displacing millions. The days ahead will measure not only the storm's reach, but the depth of the preparations made to meet it.
Cyclone Montha crossed India's eastern coast on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, making landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The India Meteorological Department issued red alerts across districts in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana as the storm brought winds forecast at 90 to 100 kilometers per hour and heavy rainfall across a wide stretch of the region.
The storm had been building for days. A low-pressure system emerged over the southeast Bay of Bengal on October 26, deepening steadily before intensifying into a strong cyclonic storm by landfall. Its name, Montha — assigned by Thailand and meaning beautiful flowers — stood in quiet irony against the disruption it carried to millions of people.
The geography of the red alerts mapped the zones of greatest danger: Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, and Gajapati in Odisha; Khammam, Mulugu, and B Kothagudem in Telangana. Orange alerts extended further into Andhra Pradesh and coastal Gujarat. The rainfall footprint covered Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, South Chhattisgarh, and Odisha — a span of hundreds of kilometers.
Authorities moved quickly. Andhra Pradesh placed all coastal districts on high alert and deployed National and State Disaster Response Force teams in anticipation of flooding, structural damage, and casualties. Residents were told to stay indoors, secure loose objects, charge phones, stock water and food, and avoid the coast entirely. Those in flood-prone or structurally weak homes were urged to reach designated shelters.
The storm's inland progression remained the open question. With extreme rainfall predicted across multiple states, the risks of flooding, landslides, and prolonged power disruption were real and substantial — a test of both institutional readiness and the quiet resilience of communities in the storm's path.
Cyclone Montha crossed the eastern coast of India on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, making landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, just south of Kakinada. The India Meteorological Department issued red alerts across multiple districts in three states—Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana—as the storm brought winds forecast to reach 90 to 100 kilometers per hour and heavy rainfall across a broad swath of the region.
The cyclone's formation had been tracked for days. A low-pressure system developed over the southeast Bay of Bengal on Sunday, October 26, deepening into what meteorologists call a deep depression before intensifying into a strong cyclonic storm by the time it reached land. The name Montha, assigned by Thailand's meteorological service, translates to beautiful flowers—a naming convention that stands in stark contrast to the disruption the system was bringing to millions of people across India's eastern coast.
The red alert zones tell the story of where danger was most acute. In Odisha, the highest warning level was issued for Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, and Gajapati districts. Across the border in Telangana, Khammam, Mulugu, and B Kothagudem received the same designation. Orange alerts, indicating a step down in severity but still serious threat, were extended to Kurnool, Anantapur, Srisailam, Annamayya, YSR Kadapa, and Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, as well as coastal regions of Gujarat including Vidarbha, Saurashtra, and Kutch. The rainfall prediction extended across Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, South Chhattisgarh, and Odisha—a footprint covering hundreds of kilometers.
Government response mobilized quickly. The Andhra Pradesh administration placed all coastal districts on high alert and deployed teams from both the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force to handle emergencies as they arose. The positioning of these teams reflected the expectation that the storm would cause significant disruption, from flooding to structural damage to potential casualties.
For residents in the path of the cyclone, authorities issued a clear set of directives. Stay indoors once winds intensify and rain becomes heavy. Secure anything outside that could become a projectile—chairs, sheets, loose roofing materials. Charge phones and gather flashlights, water, and food in preparation for power outages. Avoid the sea entirely, stay away from beaches and coastal areas, and do not shelter under trees where lightning and falling branches pose additional danger. Those living in flood-prone areas or structurally weak buildings were advised to relocate to designated shelters. The instructions were practical and urgent: monitor official updates from the India Meteorological Department and local disaster management authorities to know when the worst would arrive and when it would pass.
The storm's inland progression would determine how far its effects would reach. With winds of 90 to 100 kilometers per hour and the potential for extremely heavy rainfall across multiple states, the risk of flooding, landslides, and widespread power disruption was substantial. The next hours and days would test both the preparedness of the systems in place and the resilience of communities across eastern India.
Citas Notables
The cyclone developed from a low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal on October 26 into a deep depression, then intensified into a strong cyclonic storm by October 28.— India Meteorological Department
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