Cyclone Montha makes landfall; Andhra, Odisha bore the brunt

Severe Cyclonic storm Montha on Tuesday crossed the coast off 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.

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The landfall process started around 7 pm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, adding that the weather system in the Bay of Bengal will cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada.

It will cross with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90 to 100 kmph and gusting up to 110 kmph.

Under the influence of the severe cyclonic storm Montha, which means a fragrant flower in Thai, Nellore district in Andhra recorded the highest amount of rainfall on Tuesday.

A woman died at Makanagudem village in Konaseema district as an uprooted palmyra tree fell on her due to gales, a police official said.

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.

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.