The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced early Wednesday that the severe cyclonic storm Montha has weakened into a cyclonic storm after crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast. The cyclone brought a deluge of heavy rain and destructive winds to several coastal districts on Tuesday evening, claiming at least one life and causing widespread damage to agriculture.
"The severe cyclonic storm Montha over coastal Andhra Pradesh moved northwestwards at a speed of around 10 kmph and weakened into a cyclonic storm," the IMD said in its 2:30 AM update.
The weather office stated that the system is expected to continue moving northwestwards over coastal Andhra Pradesh and maintain its intensity as a cyclonic storm for the next six hours before weakening further into a deep depression. "The latest observations indicate that the rear sector of the cyclonic storm ‘Montha’ entered into the land," the IMD added, confirming the completion of the landfall process.
Landfall and Immediate Impact
According to the IMD, Cyclone Montha crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, to the south of Kakinada, in the early hours of Wednesday. The landfall process was completed shortly after midnight.
As the cyclone moved inland, coastal areas were battered by heavy rain and gale-force winds, which uprooted trees and disrupted power supply in several districts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The storm’s centre was located about 20 km west-northwest of Narsapur, 50 km northeast of Machilipatnam, and 90 km west-southwest of Kakinada, and is being continuously tracked by Doppler radars at Machilipatnam and Visakhapatnam.
Casualty and Agricultural Damage
The cyclone's fury led to at least one confirmed casualty. A woman died in Andhra Pradesh's Konaseema district after an uprooted tree fell on her due to the intense gales.
The agricultural sector bore a significant brunt of the storm. Preliminary reports indicate that standing crops across a vast 38,000 hectares in Andhra Pradesh were destroyed. Additionally, horticulture crops in 1.38 lakh hectares suffered extensive damage, dealing a severe blow to farmers in the region.
Widespread Disruption and Rainfall
Heavy rain and gusty winds continued to lash the districts of West Godavari, Krishna, and East Godavari, with authorities issuing warnings for potential flooding in low-lying areas.
The impact of Montha was also felt in neighbouring Odisha, where coastal and southern districts experienced heavy rainfall. The downpour triggered landslides, damaged houses, and uprooted trees. Preliminary damage reports were received from eight southern districts—Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nabarangpur. Overall, normal life was disrupted across 15 districts in the state.
Officials noted that the weakening of the storm was an expected outcome as it moved inland and began to lose its source of energy over the ocean. Relief and restoration efforts are now underway in both states to assess the full extent of the damage and provide assistance to affected communities.
Leave Your Comment