Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Fire Department has gone on high alert as the state braces for the impact of the potential Cyclone Montha, expected to form over the Bay of Bengal between October 27 and 29.
Speaking to the media, Fire Officer Prabhat Kumar said the department has taken all precautionary measures as per the directives of the state government and senior authorities to tackle the cyclone and conduct rescue operations efficiently.
> “There is a possibility of a cyclone from October 27 to 29, so we are fully prepared. Following instructions from the government, administration, and higher authorities, we have readied all our OBMs, power boats, power cutters, and portable lights for use during night operations. We are fully ready for this,” Kumar said.
District administrations across coastal Odisha have also stepped up preparations. Suryavanshi Mayur Vikas, District Magistrate of Balasore, said that the cyclone is expected to make landfall near the Sadar region as predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
> “IMD has predicted heavy rainfall in Balasore. A yellow alert is in effect from October 27 to 29, and an orange alert has been issued for October 30. All departments are on alert. If there is heavy rainfall, our SRC boats and rescue teams will be ready. Health facilities have been kept on standby, and block and district control rooms are operational round the clock,” the DM said.
He further added that special attention is being given to vulnerable groups.
> “We are making arrangements to shift pregnant women expected to deliver soon, to avoid any emergencies during the cyclone. Adequate dry rations have also been stocked. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, and the state government’s standard operating procedures are being followed strictly,” he added.
According to the latest IMD update, the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards at a speed of 7 kmph in the past six hours and was centered at 11:30 a.m. on October 25 near latitude 10.8°N and longitude 88.6°E — about 460 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 950 km east-southeast of Chennai, and 1,030 km south-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha.
The system is expected to intensify into a deep depression by October 26 and a cyclonic storm by the morning of October 27 over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal. It is then likely to strengthen further into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28, moving north-northwestwards and making landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, by the evening or night of October 28.
The IMD has warned of wind speeds of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, at the time of landfall.
In addition to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana is also expected to receive light to moderate rainfall from October 27 to 29, with isolated heavy rainfall likely in the eastern and southern parts of the state. A red warning has been issued for the coastal belts of north and south Andhra Pradesh.
