Cyclone Montha Live Tracker: ‘Montha’ weakens into deep depression but Kolkata, West Bengal brace for heavy rainfall

Train services at Visakhapatnam Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh have been temporarily halted as a precautionary measure due to Cyclone Montha. Several inbound and outbound trains have been suspended or delayed

The weather office has issued red alerts – the highest level of warning – for 19 districts in Andhra Pradesh, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall. Neighboring Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, and Karnataka are also expected to experience moderate to heavy showers.

Authorities in Andhra Pradesh have shifted 38,000 people from low-lying areas to relief camps, while Odisha has begun relocating 32,000 residents. Nearly 4 million people are estimated to be in vulnerable zones as evacuations continue across 1,200 villages.

The Indian Railways has cancelled 32 trains passing through Visakhapatnam as a precautionary measure ahead of Cyclone Montha, which is expected to make landfall near Kakinada on Tuesday night.

East Coast Railway Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Deepak Rout said that local memos and other trains scheduled to depart on Tuesday have been cancelled to ensure passenger safety. “We have taken several precautions for Cyclone Montha. To minimise inconvenience, 32 trains passing through Visakhapatnam have been cancelled. The list of cancelled trains has been uploaded on our social media and digital platforms,” Rout told ANI.

The Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued a storm warning for Tamil Nadu ports as Cyclone Montha moves towards Andhra Pradesh.

Regional Meteorology Centre (RMC) Director B Amudha said port authorities in Chennai, Ennore, and Kattupalli have been asked to hoist Local Warning Signal No. 4. A distant warning signal No. 2 has also been issued for Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Puducherry, and Karaikal ports.

“The warning is issued when a cyclone is present in the sea and strong winds are expected near the port. It alerts ships and port authorities to take precautionary steps against sudden gusts and avoid damage,” Amudha told news agency PTI.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday to review the state’s preparedness for Cyclone Montha.

Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management Suresh Pujari, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, SRC DK Singh, DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, Fire Services DG Sudhanshu Sarangi, IMD Director Manorama Mohanty, and other senior officials attended the meeting. District Collectors from cyclone-prone areas also joined the review virtually, the state government said in a release.

In view of Cyclone Montha forming over the central Bay of Bengal, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 25 teams across the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Puducherry. Another 20 teams are on standby at key locations for immediate deployment if needed. Each team is equipped with boats, cutting and communication equipment, and specialised rescue tools for evacuation, relief, and restoration work, the NDRF told news agency ANI.

Puri Odisha: Lifeguards and Fire Department officials stopped tourists from bathing in the sea and urged them to move away from the beach as a safety measure ahead of Cyclone Montha.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that Cyclone Montha, which strengthened into a severe storm on Tuesday morning, is expected to bring heavy rain to 3,778 villages across 338 mandals. He added that while the cyclone’s impact could be strong, there is no reason for panic, but people should remain cautious and alert.

As Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha heads toward Andhra Pradesh, Tiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu is on high alert for heavy rain on Tuesday. The District Disaster Management reported that in the 24 hours leading up to 6 am, Ponneri recorded 72 mm of rainfall and Avadi received 62 mm. Expecting more rain, District Collector M. Prathap announced a holiday for schools in Tiruvallur on Tuesday.

More rainfall expected in Chennai and Kanchipuram. See forecast here:

East Coast Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Deepak Rout, said that several safety measures have been taken in view of Cyclone Montha, which is likely to hit Kakinada. To ensure passengers are not affected, 32 trains passing through Visakhapatnam have been cancelled. He added that efforts are being made to operate trains until 4 p.m. tomorrow, but local and other trains scheduled to depart after that have been cancelled. The list of cancelled trains has been shared on social media and other digital platforms. Rout also said that the Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express has been diverted, while two trains — the Bhubaneswar–Jagdalpur Express and the Rourkela–Jagdalpur Intercity Express have been short-terminated.

As per the visuals coming in from ANI, officials were seen making announcements via megaphones asking people to vacate their houses in Kothapatnam village. The announcements are being made as a precautionary measure to brace for landfall of Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha.

The sea waves can be seen advancing in Kakinada as the severe cyclonic storm Montha prepared for landfall. According to the visuals coming in from ANI, the Beach Road of Kakinada has already suffered a damage of about 8-kilometre.

See more

#watch | Andhra Pradesh: Sea in full spate in Kakinada as Cyclone Montha further advances. Visuals from Beach Road of Kakinada and Uppada. About 8-kilometre stretch of beach road has suffered damage.

Officials have closed the beach road of Kakinada and Uppada to prevent… pic.twitter.com/axafAg2QiG

— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2025

Cyclone Montha has now turned into a ‘sever cyclonic storm’, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday via a post on X. The storm is expected to keep moving north-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada today evening or night.

See more

#watch | Tamil Nadu: As Montha Cyclone further advances, rainfall continues in all parts of Chennai. Koovam River is in spate.

Visuals from Chennai's Koyambedu, Arumbakkam and Nerkundram areas. pic.twitter.com/1UEcNkTETE

— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2025

About 50,000 people have been moved to relief camps by Monday as part of large-scale evacuations ahead of Cyclone Montha’s landfall, according to officials quoted by Reuters. Authorities in Kakinada district have already started shifting people from coastal areas to safer locations. A government report confirmed that around 50,000 residents are now staying in relief camps to ensure their safety before the cyclone hits.

Fishermen from Andhra Pradesh who were out at sea could not return home because of Cyclone Montha. According to the Marine Police in Aryapalli, the Ganjam district collector directed that all such boats be safely anchored at the harbour.

Around 30 fishing boats have been given shelter at Gopalpur Port, where they will stay until the cyclone passes. Authorities are ensuring safety arrangements for the fishermen during this period.

Odisha is preparing to move around 32,000 people from vulnerable areas to nearly 1,500 cyclone shelters across eight districts that are expected to receive very heavy rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.

District administrations in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal have been placed on high alert to deal with the situation.

All schools and Anganwadi centres in these districts will remain closed till October 30 as a safety measure.

Kakinada, which is expected to face the main impact of the cyclone, has set up 260 relief centres to shelter people from affected areas. In Nellore, authorities have also prepared 140 relief camps, all stocked with food and essential supplies for the next two to three days. All beaches have been closed, and fishermen have been strictly warned not to go out to sea. Andhra Pradesh’s Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P Narayana, who is overseeing preparations in Kakinada district, held a review meeting at the district collector’s office on Monday to assess readiness, relief, and rescue measures.

See more

A)Cyclonic Storm “Montha” [Pronunciation: Mon-Tha] over Westcentral Bay of Bengal* The Cyclonic Storm “Montha” [Pronunciation: Mon-Tha] over westcentraland adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speedof 15 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centered at… pic.twitter.com/iOcwV9zSNq

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 27, 2025

The landfall of Cyclone ‘Montha’, expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, has begun along the Andhra Pradesh coast, APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain said on Monday. Coastal districts are already experiencing heavy rain and strong gales as the storm moves closer to the shore.

“‘Montha’ means fragrant flower,” Jain noted. “Cyclone has begun. Coastal districts are witnessing rainfall accompanied by gales.” He added that the system is likely to strengthen further as it approaches land. The cyclone moved at 18 km per hour over the past six hours and was located approximately 560 km off Visakhapatnam by Monday evening. Officials expect it to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning and cross near Kakinada during the evening or night of October 28.

With Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha nearing the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kakinada, the State Government has put its administration on maximum alert. The cyclone is expected to make landfall with winds of 90-110 kmph, accompanied by heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across multiple districts. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation from the Real Time Governance Centre (RTGS) on Monday and spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who assured full support from the Union Government.

Authorities Mobilise for Zero-Risk Measures

The Chief Minister directed authorities to track the cyclone hourly and implement zero-risk measures, particularly in coastal and low-lying areas. Citizens have been urged to stay indoors and follow official instructions until the all-clear is given. Minister for Disaster Management & RTGS Nara Lokesh is coordinating inter-departmental efforts, ensuring 24×7 control room operations, uninterrupted communication, and timely alerts via RTGS, APSDMA, and local networks.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that Cyclone Montha, currently over the Bay of Bengal, is likely to bring heavy rainfall across several districts of West Bengal from Tuesday to Friday. The cyclone is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and make landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday night, according to a special bulletin issued by the IMD.

Fishermen Advised to Stay Ashore

The Met has cautioned fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the West Bengal coast until Thursday. Residents in hilly areas of Darjeeling and Kalimpong have been warned about possible landslides, while low-lying plains may experience waterlogging due to the heavy rains.

Heavy Rainfall Expected Across Districts

Light to moderate rainfall is expected in many parts of South Bengal, while North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, and Murshidabad districts are likely to witness heavy rainfall between Tuesday and Friday. The IMD also predicted heavy to very heavy downpours (7 to 20 cm) over Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar, and heavy rainfall in Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur as well as Malda districts.

Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu held a high-level meeting and reviewed preparations for Cyclone Montha.