Hyderabad: The severe Montha cyclone that formed in the Bay of Bengal crossed the coast near Narsapur after midnight on Tuesday. It hit between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, south of Kakinada, around 12:30 a.m., according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The storm moved inland at a speed of 12 km per hour.
Montha cyclone batters Andhra coast
The Montha cyclone brought heavy rain and strong winds to several districts in Andhra Pradesh. The IMD said the system moved northwest over Telangana and would weaken into a depression near Chhattisgarh by Wednesday afternoon. Wind speeds touched 95 kmph during landfall.
Kavali in Nellore district recorded 23 cm of rainfall in 12 hours. Ulavapadu received 17 cm, and Chirala reported 15 cm. Coastal Andhra witnessed intense showers through the night.
Red alert for Andhra and Telangana
The IMD issued a red alert for all districts in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Wednesday. It forecast heavy rainfall across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka in the next 24 hours. Continuous downpours drenched coastal Andhra as the cyclone advanced inland.