Odisha on High Alert as Cyclone ‘Montha’ Nears; Eight Districts Placed Under Red Zone

Bhubaneswar: With Cyclone Montha brewing over the southeast Bay of Bengal, the Odisha government on Saturday reviewed the State’s preparedness to mitigate its possible impact. A high-level meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Deoranjan Kumar Singh assessed the readiness of all districts to respond to the impending cyclone.

Briefing the media after the review meeting held at Rajiv Bhawan, Minister Pujari said that the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has been moving west-northwestwards at a speed of around 6 km per hour. Based on current forecasts, eight southern Odisha districts—Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nabarangpur—have been placed under the red zone, as they are likely to face the cyclone’s most severe effects.

“Malkangiri lies just 200 km away from Kakinada and Machilipatnam, where the cyclone is expected to make landfall,” said Pujari. He added that while earlier meetings involved 15 District Magistrates, today’s review included officials from all 30 districts to ensure coordinated preparedness and timely response.

Apart from the red-zone districts, 22 others are expected to experience moderate to heavy rainfall. All departments have been instructed to remain on high alert, with inter-district coordination mechanisms activated to ensure swift assistance when required.

Given the risk of landslides in Gajapati district, teams from the ODRAF, NDRF, and Fire Services Department have already been deployed, with additional personnel on standby in neighboring districts. The Power Department has made alternative arrangements to ensure uninterrupted supply to hospitals, emergency services, and water facilities. Vulnerable groups—including the elderly, children, and pregnant women—are being evacuated to primary health centers and cyclone shelters.

In coastal and hilly areas, precautionary evacuation drives are underway. Residents of Mahendragiri in Gajapati district and other high-altitude regions are being moved to safer locations. Fishing operations have been banned from October 27 to 31, and all fishermen have returned from the sea. Tourists along the coast have been advised to stay away from beaches during this period.

The State government has also directed district administrations to prevent black marketing of essential commodities. All government employees’ leaves have been canceled, and schools in affected districts will remain closed until further notice. Evacuation from low-lying and flood-prone areas is being prioritized, with arrangements made at community centers and cyclone shelters.

Farmers have been urged to take precautionary measures to protect standing crops, especially as the cyclone coincides with the paddy harvesting season. To prevent urban flooding, emergency drainage and pumping systems are being deployed, while the Water Resources Department is closely monitoring river levels across the State.

SRC Deoranjan Kumar Singh said that rainfall is expected to begin in the red-zone districts from Sunday, with the cyclone’s impact peaking on October 28 and 29, before weakening by October 30.

“So far, 128 teams of ODRAF, NDRF, and Fire Services have been deployed in the eight red-zone districts. District Magistrates have been instructed to complete evacuation of vulnerable residents to safer locations by 5 pm on Sunday,” Singh informed.

The State government continues to monitor developments closely, maintaining constant communication with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and other disaster response agencies to ensure minimal loss of life and property as Cyclone Montha approaches the Odisha coast.