Cyclone Montha Intensifies Over Bay of Bengal; IMD Issues Orange Alert for Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha

A rapidly developing cyclonic system over the southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified into a deep depression and is expected to strengthen into Cyclone Montha by October 27, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The storm is forecast to move west-northwestwards towards the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, northern Tamil Nadu, and southern Odisha, bringing widespread rainfall and strong winds across the eastern seaboard.

Current Meteorological Conditions

The IMD confirmed that as of Saturday morning, the depression lay centred approximately 420 km east-southeast of Port Blair and around 1,000 km from Visakhapatnam and Chennai. It is projected to intensify into a cyclonic storm within 24 hours and reach the southwest and west-central Bay of Bengal by Monday morning.
The system is likely to strengthen further with wind speeds of 80–100 km/h, gusting up to 110 km/h, as it advances towards the coast. The IMD has warned that sea conditions will turn “very rough to high”, posing a risk to marine operations and coastal settlements.

States Under Orange and Yellow Alerts

An Orange Alert has been issued for multiple districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha, signalling the likelihood of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and squally winds.

Tamil Nadu: Heavy rain is predicted across Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Thoothukkudi, Tirunelveli, and Ramanathapuram, while Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Kanchipuram remain under a Yellow Alert for moderate showers and thunderstorms.

Odisha: The districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, and Rayagada are under Orange Alert, with Malkangiri, Koraput, Kandhamal, and Khurda under Yellow Alert.

Andhra Pradesh: Coastal regions between Machilipatnam and Visakhapatnam are expected to experience intense spells of rain and strong winds as the system nears land.

Forecast Path and Possible Landfall

While the IMD has not confirmed an exact landfall point, most projections indicate a possible landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast early next week. Weather models suggest that Cyclone Montha will move west-northwestwards after intensifying into a severe storm by October 27–28.
Independent meteorologists have cautioned that heavy rainfall may also extend into West Bengal, Jharkhand, and northern interior districts of Odisha by mid-week, potentially impacting Chhath Puja festivities due to cloud cover and precipitation.

Exam Oriented Facts

• ‘Montha’ is a name suggested by “Myanmar”, part of the “World Meteorological Organization’s rotating cyclone naming list” for the North Indian Ocean.
• This will be the “fifth named cyclone of 2025” in the region, following systems over the Arabian Sea earlier this year.
• An “Orange Alert” denotes a “be prepared” warning level, anticipating “very heavy rainfall (115.6–204.4 mm)” and wind speeds of “62–88 km/h”.
• The “Bay of Bengal” records nearly “70% of India’s cyclonic activity” during the “post-monsoon season (October–December)” due to high sea surface temperatures and favourable wind shear.

Preparedness and Government Response

Disaster management teams in Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh have been placed on high alert, with control rooms activated in coastal districts. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has pre-positioned units in vulnerable areas for immediate rescue and relief operations.
All ports in Tamil Nadu have been advised to hoist Local Cautionary Signal No. 3, while fishermen have been strictly warned not to venture into the sea from October 26 to 29. Evacuation plans are being readied for low-lying coastal villages, and the IMD continues to monitor the storm’s trajectory via satellite and radar observations.