Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday held a high-level review meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan to assess the state’s preparedness for Cyclone Montha.

After the review, the Chief Minister said the government has taken all necessary measures to tackle the situation, aiming for a “zero casualty” outcome. “Our focus is to ensure no loss of lives. The administration is fully prepared,” Majhi said.

Rainfall has already begun in many parts of southern Odisha, with eight districts expected to be impacted today and tomorrow. As part of precautionary measures, 11,396 people have been evacuated to safe shelters so far, while the target is to relocate 30,594 people from vulnerable areas. If required, more people will be shifted, said Majhi.

To ensure the safety of pregnant women, 1,871 have been moved to health facilities, and another 822 are set to be shifted soon. The state government has also restricted entry to tourist destinations in southern Odisha districts until the situation normalises, the CM said.

As many as 30 ODRAF units, 123 Fire Service teams, and five NDRF teams have been deployed across the coastal and southern districts.

The meeting was attended by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Anu Garg, and Special Relief Commissioner.

During the review meeting, Majhi interacted with district Collectors, senior police officers, and department heads of Agriculture, Health, Panchayati Raj, and Energy via video conference to take stock of preparedness at the ground level.

Cyclone Montha has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal and is expected to make landfall around Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh this evening or night, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The weather agency has issued a heavy rainfall warning for several districts of Odisha for today.

Heavy Rainfall to Lash Odisha


Red Warning: Scattered heavy to very heavy falls (7 to 20 cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam.

Orange Warning: Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Khorda, Puri, and Bargarh.

Yellow Warning: Heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, and Sundargarh.

Wind Warning


Squally weather with wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is prevailing along & off the south Odisha coast. It is likely to increase, becoming gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from October 28th evening to early hours of 29th October early hours.

It would be squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph along and off the south Odisha coast till 29th October evening and decrease gradually thereafter.

Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph is likely to prevail along and off the north Odisha coast from October 28th evening to early hours of 29th October, 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph till 29th October evening, and decrease gradually thereafter.

Also read: East Coast Railway cancels 43 trains in view of cyclone 'Montha'.