Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Expected to Hit Andhra‑Odisha Coast on Oct 28, States Mobilise Disaster Plans

India Meteorological Department warned that a cyclonic system over the Bay of Bengal will likely intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and make landfall between northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha on the morning of Oct 28. The storm could bring sustained winds of 118‑221 km per hour, with peak gusts expected around 130 km per hour, nearly double the 65 km per hour recorded at Machilipatnam during last year’s Cyclone Montha. Odisha’s chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi activated the state’s disaster response machinery on Oct 24, ordered officials to prioritise evacuation, public safety and a zero‑casualty goal, and placed disaster teams on high alert. Schools in five Odisha districts will stay closed on Oct 28‑29, and fishermen along the Andhra‑Odisha coast have been advised to stay ashore. Southern Odisha districts are slated to receive heavy rain, while the Regional Meteorological Centre forecast heavy to very heavy rain in numerous Tamil Nadu districts, including Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchi, Karur, Cuddalore, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Sivaganga and Karaikal. Red alerts were issued for isolated locations in Theni, Dindigul and Madurai, and heavy rain is also expected in Tiruvallur, Chennai and several other districts and Puducherry. Tamil Nadu officials warned of possible cyclone intensification by Monday and placed red alerts on 13 districts from Bapatla to Visakhapatnam, expecting winds of about 130 km per hour.

Context

The Indian coastline frequently faces cyclones during the post‑monsoon season, and a very severe cyclonic storm ranks just below the highest category, prompting states to activate evacuation plans and close schools to protect lives.