Fishing activities have come to a standstill in Odisha’s Gopalpur as Cyclone Montha churns the Bay of Bengal, turning the sea dangerously rough. Assistant Fisheries Officer (In Charge) Rajkishor Das said that district authorities have imposed strict restrictions preventing fishermen from venturing out to sea until further notice. Fishing boats remain anchored at the landing centre, awaiting clearance from officials. The storm’s impact has already led to heavy rainfall, triggering landslides, road blockades, and power outages across the Koraput district, bringing life to a near halt and cutting off several interior regions.
According to local media, the Narayanpatna block in Koraput has been among the worst affected, experiencing multiple landslides even before Cyclone Montha made landfall near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, late Tuesday night. With maximum wind speeds of 90–100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph, the cyclone is expected to cause extremely heavy rainfall across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Telangana. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued alerts for Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, warning of widespread rain and wind damage in the next 24 hours.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the state had largely escaped severe destruction as Cyclone Montha made landfall near Narasapur on Tuesday evening. After reviewing the situation with the State Disaster Management Authority, he stated that only minor landslides and uprooted trees were reported. Rainfall was significantly lower than forecast, with Ganjam and Gajapati districts recording 115 mm instead of the expected 200 mm. Around 17,800 people were safely evacuated to shelters, and no casualties were reported across the state.
Cyclone Montha, the season’s first major storm, roared ashore between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, bringing winds exceeding 100 kmph and torrential rains. The landfall process lasted nearly four hours, leaving a trail of destruction across coastal towns. Roads were blocked by fallen trees, electricity poles lay twisted, and rescue teams braved heavy downpours to restore connectivity. In Andhra Pradesh’s Makanapalem village, tragedy struck when a woman lost her life after a tree crashed onto her house during the height of the storm.