Following the entry of Cyclone Montha, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) of Bhubaneswar stated that 25 places in Odisha reported heavy rainfall, said IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty on Wednesday.
Over 2,000 pregnant women were safely sheltered in Mamata Gruha (maternity homes) across the state in view of the cyclone, a statement from Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women and Child Development, Pravati Parida.
Cyclone Montha crossed the coast near Narasapuram, between Machilipatnam and Kakinada, at around midnight between 11:32 PM and 12:30 AM, and has since moved northwestward, said Dr Karuna Sagar, a scientist at the Meteorological Department in Amaravati.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that there is a likelihood of heavy rainfall over eastern and southern Telangana, slowly extending to the adjoining areas on Wednesday due to the impact of Cyclone Montha.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said that Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Montha' has weakened into a Cyclonic Storm over the coastal Andhra Pradesh and will maintain the intensity of cyclonic storm during the next six hours.
The Chief Minister said that pregnant women, sick people, and the elderly are being cared for. Schools and Anganwadis have been closed, and the authorities are keeping a strict vigilance for the next 24 hours.
Union Health Ministry reviewed preparedness measures for Cyclone Montha with senior officials of the eastern coastal States, including Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu, an official statement said.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on Tuesday that 11,396 people have been evacuated and 30 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRF) personnel and five teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed.
Landfall process of the Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS) 'Montha' commenced on Tuesday around 7:30 pm as the storm is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada at about 11:30 pm, the India Meteorological Department said.