Visakhapatnam, October 28, 2025 – Cyclone Montha, a ferocious cyclonic storm packing winds up to 120 kmph, made a devastating landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, unleashing torrential rains, storm surges, and gale-force winds that have left a trail of destruction along the state's northern coastline. At least five people have been confirmed dead, with over 50,000 residents evacuated from low-lying areas in Kakinada and Visakhapatnam districts, as authorities scramble to mitigate further loss amid ongoing fury from the weather system.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a "red alert" for the region late Monday, predicting Montha—a depression that intensified rapidly over the Bay of Bengal—would slam the coast as a severe cyclonic storm. Landfall occurred between Vakalapudi and Kakinada, with eye winds peaking at 110-120 kmph, gusting higher, uprooting trees, snapping power lines, and flooding coastal hamlets. "This is one of the strongest cyclones to hit our shores in recent years; the surge waters rose 2-3 meters in minutes," said IMD Director Mrutyunjay Mohapatra during an emergency briefing in Hyderabad.
In Kakinada, the epicenter of the onslaught, three fatalities were reported: two fishermen drowned when their boats capsized off the harbor, and an elderly woman succumbed to a collapsing roof in a fishing village. Visakhapatnam saw two more deaths—a man electrocuted by a fallen live wire and a child swept away by flash floods in the Gangavaram area. Over 200 injuries have been treated at makeshift hospitals, with hospitals in both districts overwhelmed by cases of hypothermia and trauma.
Evacuation efforts, spearheaded by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state disaster management teams, saved countless lives. More than 25,000 people from Kakinada's coastal mandals and another 25,000 from Visakhapatnam's vulnerable zones were herded into 450 cyclone shelters stocked with essentials. "We moved families at midnight under torchlight; the winds were howling like demons," recounted NDRF Commandant Ravi Shankar, whose teams braved lashing rains to airlift stragglers via helicopters. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who cut short a Delhi visit to oversee operations, inspected relief camps in Kakinada Tuesday afternoon. "Our priority is zero casualties from here on; we've pledged ₹5 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased and activated the State Disaster Response Fund," Naidu announced, flanked by teary-eyed evacuees.
Damage assessments paint a grim picture: In Kakinada, the port—handling 30% of India's crude oil imports—halted operations, with several berths submerged and cargo worth crores adrift. Residential areas in Pithapuram and Peddapuram are inundated, with paddy crops across 50,000 hectares flattened, threatening the kharif harvest. Visakhapatnam's Gangavaram Port reported minor disruptions, but the city's iconic beaches are littered with debris, and over 1,000 thatched homes lie in ruins. Power outages affect 2 lakh households, with restoration crews battling felled poles. "My home is gone; the sea just swallowed it," wailed 55-year-old fisherwoman Lakshmi, sheltering with her four grandchildren in a school-turned-camp.
The cyclone's wrath extends beyond the immediate coast: Yanam and East Godavari districts report breached embankments, flooding Godavari delta farmlands, while Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema faces a "double whammy" of surges and riverine overflows. Schools, colleges, and offices remain shuttered, with train services on the Howrah-Chennai mainline suspended and flights from Visakhapatnam airport diverted to Vijayawada.
Central government aid is en route, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuring "all possible assistance" during a telephonic chat with Naidu. Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed the deployment of 12 additional NDRF battalions, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh authorized Indian Navy ships from Visakhapatnam base for rescue ops. The World Food Programme has pledged 10,000 food kits for the next 72 hours.
As Montha weakens into a deep depression over the next 24 hours—per IMD forecasts—receding rains could usher in a humanitarian phase. But with Diwali just days away, the festive spirit is dimmed for thousands. For Andhra's resilient coastal folk, accustomed to nature's tantrums, this storm is a stark reminder of vulnerability. Naidu's administration now faces the Herculean task of rebuilding, as the state tallies the true cost of Montha's midnight raid—a tempest that spared no mercy in its coastal conquest.
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