The severe cyclonic storm Montha made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast Tuesday evening, bringing extensive damage and significant disruption. The cyclone’s intense winds and heavy rainfall devastated agricultural lands, destroying standing crops across 38,000 hectares and horticulture crops over 1.38 lakh hectares in Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, neighboring Odisha grappled with the storm’s effects, with normal life severely impacted in 15 districts.
A resident of Makanagudem village in Andhra Pradesh’s Konaseema district tragically lost her life when a palmyra tree, uprooted by gale-force winds, fell on her. In response, state authorities have initiated a large-scale evacuation, moving approximately 76,000 individuals to designated relief camps. The government has also set up 219 medical camps and secured 865 tonnes of animal fodder to support affected communities and their livestock.
Transportation faced major setbacks. Vehicle movement was restricted in districts such as Krishna, Eluru, and Kakinada from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning. The Indian Railways was forced to cancel, divert, and reschedule a substantial number of trains. The South Central Railway reported 120 train cancellations over two days. Aviation also saw widespread cancellations, with Visakhapatnam Airport grounding all 32 flights and Vijayawada Airport cancelling 16 flights.
In Odisha, coastal and southern districts bore the brunt of Montha’s heavy rainfall, leading to widespread landslides and damage to homes. Districts including Malkangiri, Koraput, and Gajapati reported significant impacts, with roads becoming impassable due to fallen boulders. Uprooted trees added to the destruction in several areas.
Odisha’s Chief Minister has reviewed the state’s response, highlighting the setup of over 2,000 cyclone shelters and the deployment of 153 rescue teams to ensure safety and manage the crisis, aiming for zero casualties.