Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 28 : The Andhra Pradesh government has established more than 800 relief centres and shifted pregnant women to hospitals as Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS) Montha is expected to make landfall around Tuesday midnight.
The government has also deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams in Kakinada district. To ensure 24-hour power in the area,1000 electricians have been stationed in the area while 140 swimmers with boats are also deployed in case of any eventuality, Kakinada MP Uday Srinivas Tangella told ANI.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), SCS Montha is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast around Kakinada during Tuesday evening or tonight with maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.
"The SCS Montha moved north-northwestwards and at 1430 hrs IST of 28th Oct, it lay about 70 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 150km south-southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 250 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 480 km south-southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha)," the IMD said in a post on X.
https://x.com/Indiametdept/status/1983120393188544743
Kakinada MP Tangella, who is present on the ground in Uppada, is monitoring the situation.
"Our government is fully prepared to face this cyclone", Tangella told ANI, adding that the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan have been monitoring the situation for the last two days.
"As the MP, I am on the ground and have arranged more than 800 relief centres where we are providing all basic facilities. We have deployed 1000 electricians to ensure 24-hour power in the area in case of any eventuality. 140 Swimmers with boats are also deployed here. The pregnant ladies have been shifted to different hospitals," he said.
The MP further said that NDRF and SDRF teams were also deployed. "Our party cadres are urging people to move to shelter and relief homes. We are trying to ensure there are no casualties. We are on the ground to help the public."
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the impact of Cyclone Montha from the Real-Time Governance System (RTGS) RTGS control room.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Ministers Nara Lokesh, V Anitha, and P Narayana, Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad (CS), and officials from various departments participated in the review meeting.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday also directed railways to take precautionary measures in anticipation of SCS Montha's impact on the East Coast, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Telangana.