Cyclone Montha: Andhra Pradesh imposes night curfew, bans vehicle movement in 7 coastal districts
Amravati: As Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS) Storm Montha approaches the Andhra Pradesh coast, the state government has imposed strict restrictions — including a night curfew and a complete ban on vehicular movement in several coastal districts — to safeguard lives and minimize damage.
Landfall process underway, says IMD
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed on Tuesday evening that the landfall process of Storm Montha has begun and will continue for the next three to four hours. The cyclone, moving north-northwestwards at around 15 kmph over the west-central Bay of Bengal, was centred at 4:30 pm about 50 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 130 km south of Kakinada, and 230 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam.
Vehicle movement banned
To prevent accidents and ensure safety, the Andhra Pradesh government has banned all vehicular movement, except emergency services, across seven coastal districts — Krishna, Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, Kakinada, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, and parts of Alluri Sitarama Raju (Chinturu and Rampachodavaram divisions).
The ban is in effect from 8:30 pm on October 28 to 6:00 am on October 29, with police instructed to halt all road traffic, including national highway movement.
Night curfew imposed, emergency services exempted
A night curfew has also been enforced across the cyclone-affected districts as a precautionary step. Only emergency medical and essential services have been exempted. The Director of the Information and Public Relations Department, Vijayawada, issued the order, urging citizens to stay indoors, follow official advisories, and remain alert to updates from the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS).
Cyclone to make landfall near Kakinada tonight
According to the IMD, Storm Montha intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm on Tuesday morning and is expected to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, later tonight. Wind speeds may reach 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, accompanied by heavy to very heavy rainfall across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and northern Tamil Nadu.
NDRF deployed, flights and trains cancelled
In anticipation of the storm’s impact, 25 NDRF teams have been deployed across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Puducherry.
Transport services have been disrupted — 35 flights cancelled between Hyderabad’s Shamshabad Airport and Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Rajahmundry, while Visakhapatnam Airport operations remain suspended. Several train services have also been cancelled as a safety measure.
Authorities on high alert
The Andhra Pradesh government is on high alert, closely tracking developments from the RTGS war room. Officials have urged residents in vulnerable areas to cooperate with evacuation efforts and adhere to safety measures as Storm Montha makes landfall late Tuesday night.
