Cyclone Montha Unleashes Fury on Indian Coasts, Thousands Evacuated Amid Red Alert

Cyclone Montha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on the evening of October 28, 2025, triggering red alerts across coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported the storm was moving north-northwestwards at 15 kmph, as stated by The New Indian Express on October 28, 2025.

Authorities in both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha activated comprehensive disaster management protocols, leading to the evacuation of thousands of residents from vulnerable low-lying areas. Sky News reported on October 28, 2025, that disaster relief teams had already helped 38,000 people leave low-lying parts of Andhra Pradesh.

The severe cyclonic storm brought with it maximum sustained wind speeds of 90-100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, causing widespread disruption. According to ndtv on October 28, 2025, the storm's impact was also felt in neighboring Odisha, affecting normal life in 15 districts.

Extremely heavy rainfall was forecast for isolated places across the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, with red alerts issued for 19 districts, The Washington Post reported on October 28, 2025. Neighboring states like Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh also anticipated moderate to heavy showers.

Tragically, one fatality was reported in Andhra Pradesh's Konaseema district, where a woman died after gales uprooted a palmyra tree, Mint reported on October 29, 2025. The cyclone also caused extensive damage to agricultural lands, submerging vast areas of crops.

In response, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were pre-deployed, and numerous relief camps were established. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed railway preparedness, directing officials to remain on high alert, DD News stated on October 28, 2025.

• The Bay of Bengal is historically one of the world's most active cyclone zones, with annual systems frequently intensifying rapidly before making landfall, as highlighted by MitKat Advisory on October 28, 2025. India's eastern coast is particularly susceptible to these powerful weather events, which have become more extreme and unpredictable due to global warming, according to The Washington Post.

• Key stakeholders, including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, played crucial roles in monitoring and responding to Cyclone Montha. The IMD provided continuous updates on the storm's trajectory and intensity, while state Chief Ministers, including Andhra Pradesh's N. Chandrababu Naidu and Odisha's Mohan Charan Majhi, personally reviewed preparedness from command centers, India Today reported on October 28, 2025.

• The economic implications of Cyclone Montha are significant, with preliminary reports indicating substantial damage to agriculture. Officials reported that standing crops over 38,000 hectares and horticulture crops across 1.38 lakh hectares were damaged in Andhra Pradesh alone, according to Mint on October 29, 2025. This widespread crop destruction will likely have a severe impact on local farmers and the regional economy.

• Socially, the cyclone necessitated mass evacuations, with approximately 76,000 people shifted to relief camps in Andhra Pradesh, NDTV noted on October 28, 2025. Odisha aimed for "zero casualties" and evacuated 11,300 people, preparing to evacuate a total of 30,000, India Today confirmed. Schools and anganwadi centers were closed in several districts to ensure public safety.

• The comprehensive government response aligns with India's evolving disaster management framework, which prioritizes a "zero casualty" objective through proactive evacuations and preparedness, Vision IAS explained on October 28, 2025. Odisha, in particular, has been lauded as a benchmark in cyclone resilience, transforming its disaster management from reactive to a proactive development priority over two decades.

• The timeline of events saw Cyclone Montha originate as a low-pressure system over the west-central Bay of Bengal, rapidly intensifying into a Severe Cyclonic Storm by October 28, 2025, as per Vision IAS. The landfall process began around 7 PM IST on October 28th, near Kakinada, and was expected to continue for several hours, India Today reported.

• Potential future developments include ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts, with authorities focusing on restoring power, communication, and essential services. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure continuous monitoring and immediate restoration efforts, including drone-based assessments of flooded areas and wind damage, newsonair reported on October 28, 2025.