Severe Cyclonic storm Montha on Tuesday made landfall in Andhra Pradesh, causing disruptions in the southern state, while the impact was also felt in neighbouring Odisha, where normal life was affected in 15 districts. The landfall process started around 7 pm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, adding that the weather system will cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada.
Cyclone Montha: Woman dies in Andhra’s Konaseema district
A woman died at Makanagudem village in Konaseema district as an uprooted palmyra tree fell on her due to gales, a police official told PTI. Due to the impact of the cyclone, standing crops in as many as 38,000 hectares in Andhra Pradesh were destroyed and also horticulture crops in 1.38 lakh hectares.
76,000 people were shifted to relief camps in Andhra
Nearly 76,000 people were shifted to relief camps while the government arranged 219 medical camps at various places. It also arranged 865 tonnes of animal fodder keeping the cyclone in view.
The government has decided to suspend the movement of vehicles on roads in the cyclone-affected districts, including Krishna, Eluru and Kakinada from 8:30 pm tonight to 6 am on Wednesday. Emergency medical services will be exempted.
120 trains were cancelled by Indian Railways
Indian Railways cancelled, diverted and rescheduled multiple coaching trains across the Waltair Division of East Coast Railway Zone on Tuesday. Similarly, the South Central Railway (SCR) Zone cancelled 120 trains in total on Monday and Tuesday, said an official.
All 32 flight operating out of Visakhapatnam Airport were cancelled on Tuesday owing to the severe cyclonic storm Montha. Likewise, the Vijayawada Airport cancelled 16 flights, but managed to operate five flights.
Landslides reported in Odisha
The severe cyclonic storm Montha brought heavy rain in coastal and southern Odisha districts, causing landslides and damaging houses besides uprooting trees, officials said. The preliminary reports of damages were received from eight southern Odisha districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur.
Normal life, however, was affected in a total of 15 districts in the region. A report from Anaka Gram Panchayat in Gajapati district said big boulders fell from nearby hills, blocking roads to five villages.
Another landslide was also reported from Linga–Barabha road in Partoda panchayat Kashinagar block of Gajapati. Trees were also uprooted in Gunupur, Gudari and Ramnaguda areas of Rayagada district.
CM Mohan Majhi reviews situation in Odisha
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the state’s preparation for the possible impact of the calamity that has already affected normal life across 15 districts in the coastal and southern regions of the state. He said that over 2,000 cyclone shelters were set up to shelter the affected people and the government has set the “Zero Casualty” goal.
The CM said 153 rescue teams (over 6,000 personnel) comprising personnel of NDRF, ODRAF, and Fire Service are positioned at vulnerable places across the eight southern districts and responding to the situations.
(With inputs from agencies)
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