Odisha fire services on high alert as Cyclone ‘Montha’ nears landfall; teams pre-positioned in red zone districts

Cyclone Montha intensified over the Bay of Bengal and moved closer to the Andhra Pradesh coast on Monday. In active response, the Odisha Fire Services announced full-scale preparedness to tackle any eventuality arising from the cyclonic storm’s anticipated impact in the southern and southwestern districts of the state.

At the Odisha Fire Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, emergency teams have been placed on alert, with rescue boats, motor rafts, generators, telescopic lights, saw cutters, and emergency rations being readied for deployment.

Odisha Fire Services Mobilised

The department has already dispatched teams to all eight districts under IMD’s red alert, including Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nabarangpur.

“We are sending nine teams to Ganjam on a priority basis. Additional teams are being sent to other districts as per government orders. They will be pre-positioned and deployed to affected areas once the cyclone crosses land,” said an officer of the Odisha Fire Services, adding that all personnel are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and trained to handle multiple contingencies.

Massive Rescue Network Activated

The large-scale deployment forms part of a wider state operation involving 128 rescue and response teams, as confirmed by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari. 

The network includes 24 ODRAF teams, 5 NDRF teams, and 99 Fire Services units, strategically placed across vulnerable zones for rapid response, debris clearance, and relief coordination.

In Malkangiri, three ODRAF teams, one NDRF unit, and eight Fire Services squads have been stationed, while Koraput has three ODRAF, one NDRF, and 14 Fire Services teams. Nabarangpur and Rayagada have ten and eleven fire units, respectively, while Gajapati, Kandhamal, and Kalahandi have multiple rescue squads to ensure immediate assistance.

According to Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) officials, evacuation of vulnerable residents is being carried out on a war footing and is expected to be completed by 5 PM today. Relief shelters, food stock, and medical teams are also in place to accommodate evacuees once the cyclone strikes.

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Cyclone Montha Intensifies, Landfall Near Kakinada Expected

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Montha, which formed late Sunday night over the central Bay of Bengal, has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm.

By early Monday, it was centred about 850 km southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 680 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), moving west-northwestward at around 16 km/h.

The system is expected to make landfall near Kakinada between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam on October 28, with wind speeds reaching 90–100 kmph and gusts up to 110 kmph. The IMD has warned of extremely rough sea conditions and heavy to very heavy rainfall over parts of south Odisha as the cyclone moves inland late Tuesday night.