IMD DG explains the likely impact of cyclone ‘Montha’ on Odisha

The prevalent weather system is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28. Although the landfall of cyclone Montha has been predicted near Kakinada of Andhra Pradesh, speaking exclusively to OTV on Monday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra explained the likely impact on Odisha.

Also Read: Cyclone ‘Montha’: East Coast Railway cancels 43 trains through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh

“The cyclonic storm centred at around 750 km away from Gopalpur over westcentral Bay of Bengal (BoB), by the afternoon today. The wind speed is around 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph. It is gradually moving north-northwestwards. The weather system may intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by tomorrow morning,” IMD DG Mohapatra said.

“Wind speed of the severe cyclonic storm will be around 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph. Continuing to move further north-northwestwards, it is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada during the evening/night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm,” the IMD DG expressed.

“Moving north-northwestwards after landfall, the cyclone will continue to move and pass through Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Rayagada districts of Odisha and proceed towards neighbouring Chhattisgarh,” DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated.

“During this period, particularly in the case of Odisha, the wind speed will be around 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph, which will especially be felt in southern Odisha, and Ganjam and Gajapati districts. The other districts include Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kalahandi, and Nuapada. The maximum wind speed will start blowing from October 28 evening and likely will continue till the next morning,” the IMD DG added.

Worth mentioning, as Cyclone Montha nears landfall along the Andhra coast, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has cancelled at least 43 different trains which were earlier scheduled to operate through Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on October 27 and 29, as a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety and smooth operational management.