Bhubaneswar, Oct 26: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an updated bulletin on Cyclone Montha, reporting that the deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal has strengthened and is gradually moving towards the Indian coast.

According to the IMD’s 11:30 a.m. bulletin today, the system was located near latitude 11.3°N and longitude 87.0°E, approximately 620 km west of Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), 770 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 820 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 810 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), and 920 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha).

The system has been moving northwestwards at a speed of about 5 kmph during the past six hours and is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm within the next 12 hours over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal. IMD forecasts indicate that it will further strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28.

Thereafter, Cyclone Montha is likely to move in a north-northwesterly direction and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, around Kakinada, during the evening or night of October 28, as a severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 90–100 kmph gusting up to 110 kmph.

Under the influence of the system, coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and north coastal Tamil Nadu are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall beginning October 27, intensifying further on October 28. Squally winds and rough to very rough sea conditions are expected along and off the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu, with fishermen advised not to venture into the sea from October 26 onward.

The state disaster management teams have been put on alert in coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha. Port authorities in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, and Machilipatnam have also been advised to hoist appropriate warning signals and ensure preparedness for possible disruptions.