Cyclone Montha: IMD Sounds Red Alert, Who is at Risk as Cyclonic Storm Nears Andhra?

IMD has issued a red alert for several Andhra Pradesh districts as a severe Cyclone Montha is expected to form over the Bay of Bengal. The storm may make landfall near Kakinada on October 28, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds up to 110 kmph.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for several districts of Andhra Pradesh in view of the severe cyclonic storm expected to form in the Bay of Bengal. The storm is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas. A severe cyclonic storm named "Montha" with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph with gusts up to 110 kmph is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on the evening/night of October 28 if it continues its north-northwestward movement.

The central and south Bay of Bengal, as well as the Andaman Sea, are characterised by scattered to broken low and medium clouds with embedded intense to very intense convection. Scattered low and medium clouds with isolated weak to moderate convection persist over the north Bay of Bengal.

IMD Scientist on the severe cyclonic storm

The system is packing maximum sustained winds of 25 knots, gusting to 35 knots, with an estimated central pressure of 1002 hPa.
IMD Scientist S Jagannath Kumar told ANI, "A severe cyclonic storm is expected to form in the Bay of Bengal and make landfall... The storm is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas, and strong winds... A storm surge of up to 1 meter above the astronomical tide is also expected... Red alerts have been issued for several districts, including Kakinada, Konaseema, West Godavari, Krishna, Bapatla, Prakasam, and Nellore.

He further added that fishermen have been advised "not to venture into the sea for the next five days", and district authorities have been warned to prepare for the severe weather conditions..."

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on social media said on Sunday that, "A deep depression in the southeast Bay of Bengal and the likelihood of it turning into a cyclonic storm in the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by October 27".

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