As the Bay of Bengal yields another cyclone to the eastern shores of India, Cyclone Montha reminds us that the sea has always set the terms for those who live beside it. By the evening of October 28, the storm is expected to make landfall near Kakinada with winds gusting to 110 km/h, prompting red alerts across thirteen Andhra Pradesh districts and urgent evacuations in Odisha. The event is not merely meteorological — it is a test of the long, difficult relationship between coastal communities and the forces that periodically reclaim the margins of the land. Authorities across four states are
Cyclone Montha Triggers Red Alert for 13 AP Districts; Heavy Rain Across Eastern India
Evacuations and disaster response measures underway in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha ahead of cyclone landfall; NDRF and SDRF teams positioned for relief operations.
Wind gusts will reach 110 kilometers per hour when it arrives.
Mark
So Cyclone Montha is definitely going to hit Andhra Pradesh, or is there still uncertainty about the track?
Mimi
The IMD is confident enough to issue a red alert for thirteen districts, and they're forecasting landfall near Kakinada on the evening of October 28. That's a fairly specific prediction.
Luke
But landfall forecasts can shift. The IMD is saying "evening or night"—that's a six-hour window, which is reasonable, but cyclones do move unpredictably. We should note that this is their best current assessment, not a certainty.
Mark
What makes this a "severe" cyclonic storm rather than just a cyclone?
Mimi
Wind speed. When it reaches landfall, gusts are expected to hit 110 kilometers per hour. That's the threshold that bumps it into the severe category.
Luke
And that's the forecast. We don't know yet if it will actually reach that intensity or if it might weaken before landfall. The IMD is saying it will strengthen by Tuesday morning, but storms can surprise you.
Mark
The rainfall numbers are striking—21 centimeters in some places. Is that unusual for this region?
Mimi
For a cyclone, no. But it's significant enough that the government is already setting up relief shelters and stockpiling supplies. They're taking it seriously.
Luke
Twenty-one centimeters is the threshold they're using for the alert, but that doesn't mean every district will get exactly that. Some will get more, some less. The forecast is a range, not a guarantee.
Mark
How many people are we talking about being evacuated?
Mimi
The source doesn't give a specific number. It says evacuations are underway in Odisha and that NDRF and SDRF teams are positioned, but there's no count of how many people have been moved or how many are at risk.
Luke
That's an important gap. We know it's happening, but we don't know the scale. That would be worth following up on.
El Pulso
- Cyclone Montha is intensifying rapidly over the Bay of Bengal, with landfall near Kakinada expected on the evening of October 28 and wind gusts projected to reach 110 km/h.
- Thirteen coastal Andhra Pradesh districts are under red alert, with rainfall forecast to exceed 21 centimeters — a volume that can overwhelm drainage, flood low-lying areas, and isolate communities within hours.
- Odisha's southern districts face orange alerts and evacuations are already underway, with NDRF and SDRF teams pre-positioned to respond the moment the storm's edge arrives.
- The cyclone's influence stretches far beyond the coast — thunderstorms and heavy rain are forecast across eastern Uttar Pradesh through November 1, and Rajasthan's major divisions are bracing for lightning and downpours.
- Meteorologists expect conditions to begin normalizing from October 30, but the critical window of danger — landfall and its immediate aftermath — is now just hours away.
As the Bay of Bengal yields another cyclone to the eastern shores of India, Cyclone Montha reminds us that the sea has always set the terms for those who live beside it. By the evening of October 28, the storm is expected to make landfall near Kakinada with winds gusting to 110 km/h, prompting red alerts across thirteen Andhra Pradesh districts and urgent evacuations in Odisha. The event is not merely meteorological — it is a test of the long, difficult relationship between coastal communities and the forces that periodically reclaim the margins of the land. Authorities across four states are now in the posture that such moments demand: watchful, prepared, and humbled.
Cyclone Montha is intensifying over the Bay of Bengal and bearing down on India's eastern coast. On Monday, October 27, the India Meteorological Department issued red alerts for thirteen coastal Andhra Pradesh districts — a continuous band stretching from Srikakulam in the north to Guntur in the south — as the storm is expected to reach severe cyclonic storm status by Tuesday morning and make landfall near Kakinada that evening. Wind gusts will reach 110 km/h, with sustained speeds of 90 to 100 km/h, and rainfall exceeding 21 centimeters is forecast across coastal Andhra Pradesh between October 27 and 29. State authorities have begun preparing relief shelters and stockpiling supplies.
Odisha faces a serious threat of its own. Orange alerts cover the state's southern districts — Malkangiri, Koraput, Gajapati, and Ganjam — where winds will reach 60 to 70 km/h and rainfall may exceed 21 centimeters on October 28 and 29. Evacuations are already underway, and National and State Disaster Response Force teams have been positioned ahead of the storm's arrival.
The cyclone's reach extends well inland. Eastern Uttar Pradesh will see thunderstorms and heavy rain through November 1, with cloud cover settling over districts including Ballia and Lucknow. Rajasthan, too, is in the storm's wider orbit — heavy rainfall and lightning are forecast across the Udaipur, Kota, Ajmer, Jodhpur, and Jaipur divisions through October 29. Kota's temperature has already dipped two degrees below seasonal norms, a sign the system is reshaping regional weather well ahead of its landfall.
Meteorologists expect conditions to normalize from October 30 onward. For now, the attention of officials across four states is fixed on the hours immediately ahead — the storm's final intensification, its track toward the coast, and the readiness of the communities standing in its path.
Cyclone Montha is bearing down on India's eastern coast with gathering force. The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert on Monday, October 27, for thirteen coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh as the storm intensified over the Bay of Bengal, expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning and make landfall near Kakinada that evening or night. When it arrives, wind gusts will reach 110 kilometers per hour, with sustained speeds of 90 to 100 km/h.
The thirteen districts under red alert form a continuous band along the coast: Kakinada, Konaseema, West Godavari, East Godavari, Krishna, Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Eluru, and Guntur. The meteorological department is forecasting rainfall exceeding 21 centimeters across coastal Andhra Pradesh from October 27 through October 29. The inland Rayalaseema region will see very heavy rainfall during the same window. State authorities have already begun preparing relief shelters and stockpiling essential supplies in anticipation of the impact.
Odisha, to the north, faces its own severe threat. Orange alerts cover the state's southern districts—Malkangiri, Koraput, Gajapati, and Ganjam—where wind speeds will reach 60 to 70 km/h. The state expects heavy to extremely heavy rainfall from October 27 through October 30, with the most intense downpours likely over southern Odisha on October 28 and 29, when rainfall may exceed 21 centimeters. The government has already begun evacuating residents from vulnerable areas and has positioned teams from the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force to manage the emergency response.
The cyclone's reach extends far inland. Eastern Uttar Pradesh will experience thunderstorms and heavy rain on October 27, 29, 30, 31, and into November 1. Cloud cover will blanket districts including Ballia and Lucknow from October 28 through November 1, with winds gusting at 30 to 40 km/h. The western portions of the state are expected to remain dry. Rajasthan, too, will feel the cyclone's effects, particularly between October 27 and 29. Moderate to heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning is forecast across the Udaipur, Kota, Ajmer, Jodhpur, and Jaipur divisions. The Kota and Udaipur divisions face warnings for heavy to very heavy rainfall, with thick cloud cover and cool winds expected. Kota recorded a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius on Sunday, two degrees below the seasonal normal, a sign the system is already influencing regional weather patterns.
The meteorological department expects conditions to begin normalizing from October 30 onward. For now, the focus remains on the hours immediately ahead—the intensification of the storm, its precise track toward landfall, and the preparedness of communities in its path. Evacuations are underway, response teams are positioned, and officials across four states are bracing for what the data suggests will be a significant weather event.
Citas Notables
The cyclone will strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning and make landfall near Kakinada during the evening or night of October 28— India Meteorological Department
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