Amaravati: With the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensifying into cyclonic storm ‘Montha’, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday put state officials on their toes, directing all departments to be fully prepared for severe weather impacts expected for four days starting Sunday.

Chairing a high-level teleconference with District Collectors, SPs, and senior officials, the Chief Minister reviewed the State’s disaster preparedness in the light of the India Meteorological Department’s red alert and ordered comprehensive contingency plans to minimize loss of life and property. The IMD has issued a red alert, warning that the storm is likely to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm and make landfall near Kakinada on the evening of October 28, with wind speeds reaching 90–110 kmph. Naidu directed the administration to launch awareness campaigns in coastal villages, identify vulnerable areas, and shift residents to safe shelters well before the landfall. He instructed district collectors to monitor reservoir levels and ensure scientific water discharge to prevent flash floods. “The priority is to protect every life. Real-time coordination and communication are essential at every level of governance,” he said.

The Chief Minister ordered the immediate deployment of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force teams, and directed departments offering essential services, including Electricity, R&B, Irrigation, Panchayat Raj, and Municipal Administration, to ensure uninterrupted power, water, and telecom connectivity, during and after the cyclone. He suggested the launch of mobile hospital services in Kakinada, ensuring swift medical assistance to the injured.

Officials were also instructed to prepare emergency shelters, arrange food and drinking water stocks there, and declare holidays for educational institutions if necessary. Naidu emphasized that the administration should stay in constant touch with fishermen and coastal families, urging them not to venture into the sea.

The Chief Minister reiterated that there would be zero tolerance for administrative lapses in preparedness and response. “We must act before the storm, not after it,” Naidu told officials, directing continuous monitoring until the cyclone subsides.

According to Prakhar Jain, managing director of the State Disaster Management Authority, the cyclone is currently located about 990 km southeast of Kakinada and 970 km from Visakhapatnam, moving west-northwestwards. It is likely to intensify further by Monday morning before crossing the coast. As Montha moves closer, the government has activated control rooms in all coastal districts, linking real-time updates from the IMD, port authorities, and local disaster management cells. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast across Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, and Tirupati districts.