Bhubaneswar, October 29: Over 2,000 pregnant women were safely accommodated in maternity homes across Odisha during Cyclone Montha, said  Pravati Parida, the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women and Child Development.

 She further added that all mothers who delivered during the storm, along with their newborns, are in good health and will remain under observation for one more day.

Parida assured the public, stating, "All mothers who gave birth during this period, along with their newborns, are reported to be healthy and will continue to be monitored for the next 24 hours. Once cleared, they will be safely sent back to their homes under the supervision of the district administration."

Cyclone Montha made landfall on Tuesday night, crossing the Andhra Pradesh and Yanan coasts between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, to the south of Kakinada. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the storm had intensified into a severe cyclonic system. Dr. Karuna Sagar, a scientist at the IMD in Amaravati, shared more details on the storm's movement, explaining, “Cyclone Montha crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Narasapuram, between Machilipatnam and Kakinada, around midnight, between 11:32 PM and 12:30 AM. It has since shifted northwestward.”

Dr. Sagar further added, “The storm is expected to continue moving north-northwestwards and enter the Telangana region.” By 2:30 AM, Cyclone Montha had weakened into a cyclonic storm.

Cyclone Montha’s impact extended to both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. In Andhra Pradesh, the road connecting Bapatla to Suryalanka saw significant water overflow, disrupting traffic to Suryalanka Beach. Local authorities, including Bapatla RDO Gloria, MRO Saleema, and the Deputy MPDO, are actively assessing the damage and coordinating relief efforts.

Cyclones, which are caused by atmospheric disturbances around low-pressure areas, typically result in intense winds and severe weather, characterized by inward air circulation in an anticlockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.