Cyclone Montha has left a trail of destruction in Andhra Pradesh, claiming the lives of two people and causing significant damage to crops and infrastructure. The severe cyclonic storm crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, bringing heavy rains and strong winds to the region.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu confirmed the fatalities and stated that timely precautionary measures helped minimize the overall damage. He has urged government officials and departments to continue relief operations for the next two days to further assist affected communities. "If we work in the same way for another two days, we can give much relief to people. Due to the cyclone, two persons died," Naidu said in an official press release.
The cyclone has caused extensive damage to agriculture, with standing crops across 38,000 hectares and horticulture cultivation across 1.38 lakh hectares affected. According to preliminary government estimates, standing crops in 38,000 hectares and horticultural crops in 1.38 lakh hectares were damaged due to Montha's impact. Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu said that 20,000 acres of paddy and horticulture crops were damaged in the Konaseema district. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of further damage to paddy and vegetable fields in inundated low-lying areas.
Power infrastructure has also suffered, with electric poles uprooted in several areas. The loss to the power sector in the state is estimated to be around ₹2,200 crore. Road communication in several districts was disrupted due to damaged roads, with approximately 1,632 km of roads affected. Andhra's Transport and Roads & Buildings Minister B C Janardhan Reddy said the cyclone caused potholes and erosion of roads at 69 locations. Restoration work is underway to restore communication.
The state government had taken several precautionary measures before the cyclone made landfall. Around 76,000 people were shifted to relief camps. The state government set up over 800 relief centers and shifted pregnant women to hospitals. 219 medical camps were set up, and 865 tonnes of animal fodder were arranged. The government also deployed 1,447 earthmovers, 321 drones, and 1,040 chainsaws to clear debris and fallen trees. 10,000 people were kept on standby to restore damaged electricity infrastructure.
CM Naidu has instructed ministers and officials to visit the affected places, enquire about problems faced by people, and distribute essential items such as food. Officials were also instructed to estimate the damage caused by the cyclone across various departments so that it could be furnished to the Union government. Naidu embarked on an aerial tour of the cyclone-affected places and is expected to tour Bapatla, Palnadu, Krishna, Konaseema and Eluru districts.
While Andhra Pradesh bore the brunt of the cyclone, neighboring Odisha also felt its impact. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said Odisha escaped major damage from the cyclone. There were reports of minor landslides and uprooting of trees in some areas.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and fire officials have been appreciated for their tireless efforts during the severe cyclonic storm.
