NDRF deploys 25 teams across five States ahead of Cyclone ‘Montha’ landfall

In preparation for Cyclone “Montha” making landfall on Tuesday night, the National Disaster Response Force has deployed 25 teams across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu, while another 20 teams are on standby.

The cyclone over the central Bay of Bengal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday morning and began to move north-north-westwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. The NDRF said that as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the storm is expected to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, during the evening or night of October 28.

The severe cyclonic storm is expected to strike with maximum sustained wind speeds of 90–100 km ph.

“The Director General, NDRF, has directed all formations to maintain a high level of readiness to provide immediate response for search, rescue, and relief operations,” the organisation said in a press statement.

Each team is equipped with boats, cutting equipment, communication equipment, and other specialised rescue tools to carry out evacuation, relief and restoration operations. Coordination meetings are being held with the National Disaster Management Authority and their State-level counterparts and district administrations. NDRF teams are also conducting public-awareness campaigns and community-sensitisation activities in vulnerable areas through local administrations to ensure timely evacuation and adherence to safety advisories.

Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw also reviewed Indian Railways’ preparedness to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone through a video conference. The meeting assessed readiness along the East Coast, focusing on passenger safety, train regulation and coordination with local administrations.

The Minister directed all Railway zones to stay on high alert and ensure quick restoration of services after the cyclone. Divisional war-rooms have been activated for real time coordination, with equipment and teams on standby across the Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Guntur divisions.