Cyclone 'Montha' makes landfall near Kakinada; TN to experience rain for six days

Chennai, Oct 29 (IANS) Cyclone Montha made landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh early on Wednesday morning, unleashing heavy rains and strong winds across the coastal districts.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that the cyclone, which had formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal earlier this week, struck land between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam with wind speeds reaching up to 110 kmph.

According to IMD officials, Montha brought intense rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning to several parts of Krishna and Machilipatnam districts, uprooting trees and damaging property.

In Alluri district, a woman was killed after a tree fell on her during the storm, while two others sustained serious injuries and were admitted to hospital.

Disaster management teams were deployed to clear fallen trees and restore power in affected areas. The severe cyclonic storm, which had been moving northwestward since Monday, weakened slightly after crossing the coast but is expected to bring widespread rainfall to southern India.

The IMD said that due to Montha’s influence, Tamil Nadu is likely to receive moderate rainfall for the next six days.

A weather bulletin issued on Wednesday morning warned that gusty winds of 45 to 55 kmph, occasionally reaching 65 kmph, may lash the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the Kanyakumari Sea.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea until conditions improve. In Chennai, skies are expected to remain mostly cloudy with intermittent light to moderate showers in some areas.

The Greater Chennai Corporation and the Tamil Nadu Disaster Management Authority have kept all emergency control rooms on alert to handle possible rain-related incidents.

Authorities in Tamil Nadu have also directed local administrations to closely monitor water levels in rivers and reservoirs and ensure preventive steps are taken in low-lying and flood-prone zones.

--IANS

aal/rad