With cyclonic storm Montha moving towards its coast near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh is on high alert and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday discussed the state’s readiness and intensity of the cyclone with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu over the phone.
The prime minister assured necessary help from the Centre as the state braces for the impending cyclone. The state has declared holidays in educational institutions and the chief minister has ordered distribution of Rs 3,000 cash and 25 kg of rice among the people.
The system is expected to make landfall tomorrow between Macchilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on 28 evening or night as a severe cyclonic storm with 90-110 kmph wind.
According to IMD, very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in several districts of the state, particularly the coastal ones, extending from Prakasam to Vizianagaram under its influence tomorrow. A storm surge of one metre above the astronomical tide has been predicted and locals reported that the sea has already turned rough. Authorities have started evacuating people from the coastal areas to rehabilitation centres.
Chandrababu Naidu also held a teleconference with district collectors, superintendents of police and other officials. He ordered that people should be provided with hourly updates of the cyclone through bulletins to ensure they do not. Krishna district will receive rain. The Guntur, Baptala, NTR, Palnadu and West Godavari districts are expected to receive heavy rainfall as the cyclone will cross the coast tomorrow. The district collector of Nellore informed the chief minister that it has been raining since Sunday night.
“We should ensure that ponds and canal banks do not break anywhere,” Naidu warned. Precautions should be taken to prevent landslides in hilly areas like Vijayawada, Mangalgiri and Visakhapatnam. The situation was being continuously monitored by the chief minister at the Real Time Governance Centre (RTGC) while HRD minister Nara Lokesh has been given the responsibility of liaising with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The state disaster response force has been stationed in each district and NDRF teams are also on standby. Medical teams, ambulances and medicines have been kept ready for emergency responses and to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases. The electricity department and telecom operators will also be prepared to ensure minimal disruption, while sandbags, pumps and machinery have been kept ready. The administration has kept ready 851 JCBs and 757 to tackle the fallout once the landfall occurs.
Meanwhile, state Home Minister V Anitha warned against sensational thumbnails and misleading headlines on social media and digital media, creating unnecessary panic and confusion among the public, especially in flood-prone areas. Telangana is also expecting heavy unseasonal rains due to cyclone, particularly when paddy procurement is going on.