With Cyclone Montha intensifying over the west-central Bay of Bengal, several southern and eastern states have ordered the closure of schools and colleges as a precautionary measure. Heavy rain, strong winds, and reports of damage have begun to emerge from parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, where the storm made landfall on Monday evening.
In Andhra Pradesh, district administrations in Kakinada, East Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru, and West Godavari have announced the closure of schools, colleges, and other educational institutions between October 27 and October 31, with specific dates varying depending on local conditions.
In Odisha, schools, colleges, and anganwadi centres in Gajapati district will remain closed till October 30, officials said. Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district also suspended classes on Tuesday, while Chennai schools were shut on Monday (October 28) due to heavy rainfall linked to the storm system. An official decision for Wednesday’s closure is still awaited.
Cyclone Montha Makes Landfall Near Kakinada
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that Montha began making landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh around 7 pm on Monday, with the process expected to last three to four hours.
Dr Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, said, “The landfall of the severe cyclonic storm Montha has started about 7 pm and will continue for three to four hours.” She added that the storm was bringing wind speeds of 80–90 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph along the coast.
Reports of Damage and Casualties
Preliminary reports suggest that eight southern Odisha districts, including Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nabarangpu,r have been affected by the cyclone. Officials said normal life has been disrupted in at least 15 districts due to heavy rainfall and power outages.
In a tragic incident, a supply assistant managing a cyclone shelter at Potara panchayat in Gajapati district died after suddenly falling ill on Monday night. The deceased, identified as Surendra Gamang, had been helping relocate residents to the shelter, said Panchayat Samiti member Lokanath Dalai. The police are yet to confirm the exact cause of death.
A separate report from Mohana in Gajapati district said a mud-walled house collapsed amid continuous rain, injuring one person. In another area, the tin roof of a house was blown away by strong winds, an official confirmed.
Odisha CM Reviews Preparedness
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a review meeting to assess the state’s preparedness and ongoing relief efforts. Authorities have been directed to ensure the safety of residents in vulnerable coastal and southern regions and to keep disaster response teams on standby.