Cyclone Montha Bears Down on Andhra Coast with 110 km/h Winds, Triggering Nationwide Emergency Response

When N. Chandrababu Naidu woke up on October 27, 2025, the wind outside his office in Amaravati was already picking up — not just a seasonal breeze, but the first real breath of Cyclone Montha. By nightfall, it would be roaring at 110 kilometers per hour, poised to slam into the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, just north of Kakinada. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had warned: this wasn’t just another storm. It was a severe cyclonic storm, building fast, with rain so heavy it could dump over 20 centimeters in 48 hours. And it wasn’t stopping at the shore.

From Low Pressure to Landfall: How Cyclone Montha Formed

It started quietly — a low-pressure area swirling over the Bay of Bengal on October 24. By the 26th, satellite images showed it tightening, spinning faster, drawing moisture like a vacuum. The IMD upgraded it to a cyclonic storm on the 27th, and by dawn the next day, it was expected to become a severe cyclonic storm. That’s not just meteorological jargon — it means sustained winds of 100–110 km/h, gusts higher, and a storm surge pushing seawater a full meter above normal tide levels. Coastal villages near Kakinada are bracing for water to flood streets, homes, and rice paddies alike. The timing? Evening or night on October 28 — when most people are home, lights are on, and power grids are most vulnerable.

Government in Motion: Coordination Across Levels

By 10 a.m. on October 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already spoken with Chief Minister Naidu. The call wasn’t ceremonial. Modi pledged immediate central support — relief funds, NDRF teams, air logistics. Within hours, Nara Lokesh, Andhra’s IT Minister, was in direct contact with the Prime Minister’s Office, coordinating digital alerts and drone surveillance over flood-prone zones. Meanwhile, in Delhi, Jagat Prakash Nadda, central BJP president, ordered state units in five states to turn party offices into relief hubs. Workers were told: distribute food, set up medical camps, clear debris before the rain even stops.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed 22 teams — 14 in Andhra Pradesh, 5 in Odisha, 3 in Tamil Nadu. Each team carries inflatable boats, medical kits, and thermal imaging gear to find people trapped in rooftops or submerged homes. In Odisha, officials didn’t wait for requests. They pulled 100 stranded fishermen from Andhra waters and housed them in schools turned shelters. “We didn’t ask who they voted for,” said an Odisha relief officer. “We asked if they had warm clothes.”

Trains Stopped, Schools Closed, and the Silent Inland Threat

South Central Railway canceled 54 trains — not just those heading to the coast, but routes through Guntur, Nellore, and even parts of Telangana. Indian Railways axed another two dozen nationwide. Schools in 12 districts of Andhra Pradesh shut early on the 27th. Hospitals moved critical patients to higher floors. But here’s what most headlines miss: the storm’s reach goes inland. The IMD warns that Chhattisgarh, hundreds of kilometers from the coast, could see wind gusts over 80 km/h. Trees will fall. Power lines will snap. In Uttar Pradesh, dense clouds already brought intermittent rain on the 27th — a sign the cyclone’s outer bands are stretching north, feeding into the monsoon’s lingering moisture.

What’s at Stake: More Than Property

This isn’t just about damaged roofs. Andhra Pradesh produces nearly 15% of India’s rice. The Krishna and Godavari deltas — the breadbasket of the state — are directly in the path. Farmers who planted just weeks ago could lose entire crops. Fishermen, who make up 7% of the coastal population, have no income if their boats are wrecked. In Yanam, a small Puducherry enclave, saltwater intrusion could poison wells for months. And with heavy rainfall expected to last until October 30, drainage systems — already clogged and outdated — will buckle. The IMD predicts 15–20 cm of rain in places like Krishna and Guntur districts. That’s more than the average monthly rainfall for October.

What Comes Next: The Long Recovery

Landfall is just the beginning. The real challenge begins after the winds die down. Power restoration could take days. Clean water will be scarce. Disease outbreaks — especially waterborne illnesses like cholera — are a real concern. The state government has pre-positioned 1.2 million liters of drinking water and 800 metric tons of food. But logistics will be a nightmare. Roads are already flooded in low-lying areas. Helicopters will be needed. And the federal government? It’s promised ₹3,000 crore in immediate relief, but rebuilding will take years. Experts say this storm is a preview of what’s coming more often: stronger cyclones, fueled by warmer seas. The Bay of Bengal warmed by 1.8°C above average this year. That’s not coincidence. It’s climate.

What the IMD Isn’t Saying (But Experts Are)

The official forecast says “heavy rainfall” — but it doesn’t say where the worst pooling will occur. Local hydrologists point to the lower Krishna basin, where embankments haven’t been upgraded since the 1980s. “We’ve seen this movie before,” says Dr. Priya Menon, a climate researcher at IIT Madras. “In 2018, Cyclone Gaja hit the same stretch. We rebuilt the roads. We didn’t rebuild the drainage.” Now, with Cyclone Montha, those old failures are magnified. The state’s early warning system worked — but the response infrastructure didn’t keep pace.