Cyclone Montha set to hammer India’s coast as 50,000 evacuated
- Cyclone Montha is forecast to lash India's eastern coastal states, including Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, with strong winds and heavy rains.
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that the cyclone will intensify into a severe storm by Tuesday and is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast on 28 October.
- At least 50,000 people have been evacuated to relief camps, and officials have cancelled emergency staff holidays and ordered school closures in coastal areas.
- The cyclonic storm is anticipated to affect approximately 3.9 million people in Andhra Pradesh, with sustained wind speeds of 90-100kmph.
- Disaster teams have been deployed to move families from low-lying areas, and security measures, including deploying personnel at beaches, are in place.