Cyclone 'Monta' is raging at the start of winter, intensifying in the Bay of Bengal. It is expected to make landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday evening or night, prompting Odisha and Andhra Pradesh governments to ramp up preparations. Evacuation efforts from vulnerable areas are underway, with rescue teams placed on high alert, as reported by PTI news agency.

A red alert has been declared in Odisha, where the state government evacuated around 3,000 people from eight southern districts yesterday: Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Ganjam, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal. The target is to relocate a total of 32,528 people to safe places, according to Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.

Priority is being given to evacuating pregnant women, the elderly, and differently-abled individuals. Operating with the goal of "zero casualties," the state government has opened 1,445 cyclone shelters. Arrangements have also been made for food, medicine, and care for livestock, the minister informed. The NDRF, ODRF, and fire services have deployed 140 rescue teams, an increase from the previous 128. Yatnal Who Once Chanted 'Allahu Akbar' at Eidgah Ground: Minister M.B. Patil's Statement

Arrangements are in place to restore power within 24 hours of the cyclone's impact, and all hospitals and drinking water units have power backups ready, said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) D K Singh.Rain has already begun in parts of southern and coastal Odisha, including Bhubaneswar, and is expected to intensify on October 28 and 29. Major concerns about landslides have been raised in the hilly Ganjam district, where 139 vulnerable spots have been identified.