Red alert in 8 Odisha districts as Cyclone ‘Montha’ intensifies; 128 ODRAF, NDRF, fire services teams deployed

With Cyclone ‘Montha’ steadily intensifying over the Bay of Bengal and expected to make landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh on October 28, the Odisha government has placed eight southern districts on red alert, bracing for possible heavy rainfall, strong winds, and flash floods once the storm crosses into inland areas.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Montha formed late Saturday night over the central Bay of Bengal and is currently centred 850 km southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 680 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), moving west-northwestward at 16 kmph. 

The system is likely to intensify further before landfall and could trigger severe weather over parts of south Odisha after hitting the Andhra coast on Tuesday night.

Eight Districts In Red Zone

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari stated on Sunday that the cyclone may have a significant impact across Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal districts.

The Odisha government has designated these districts as “red zones” due to the likelihood of very heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and localised flooding over the next 48 hours.

Following a high-level review meeting, Pujari confirmed that 128 rescue and response teams have already been deployed across these vulnerable regions.

The deployment includes 24 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) units, 5 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, and 99 Fire Services units, all placed strategically to respond to emergencies.

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Large-Scale Deployment Underway

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 on alert. 

Nabarangpur has ten Fire Services teams, and Rayagada has eleven, alongside disaster management units. Similarly, Gajapati has seven teams, Ganjam has twenty-four, Kandhamal has twelve, and Kalahandi has thirteen Fire Services teams.

Two NDRF teams have already reached Koraput and Malkangiri, while additional units are being sent to Rayagada, Gajapati, and Kandhamal. The minister said all eight red-zone districts have at least three ODRAF teams each to ensure prompt response and search-and-rescue operations.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) officials said that the evacuation of vulnerable residents would be completed by 5 PM today, with shelters, food stock, and medical facilities prepared to accommodate evacuees.