Bhubaneswar: With Cyclone Montha intensifying over the Bay of Bengal and triggering heavy rain along with strong winds in Odisha, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has called upon the people to remain calm, prepared, and united to face of the approaching storm.

Also Read: Cyclone Montha: Supply assistant dies on duty in Odisha's Gajapati

Naveen, widely recognised for steering Odisha towards effective disaster management and achieving near zero-casualty outcomes during cyclones in previous years under BJD rule, urged citizens to fully cooperate with the administration and adhere to safety advisories.

“Cyclone Montha is approaching. We have bravely faced several cyclones in the past. Therefore, do not panic. Stay alert and support the administration. I request all BJD workers to stand with the people during this challenging time and extend all possible assistance. We have always overcome disasters together, and this time too, we will remain united,” the BJD President appealed in a video message on Tuesday.

Also Read: Cyclone Montha landfall today: IMD issues heavy rainfall warning for Odisha

According to the latest IMD update, the Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Montha’ (pronounced Mon-tha) over the west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestward at a speed of 12 kmph during the last six hours. As of 0300 UTC on October 28, 2025, it was positioned near latitude 14.9°N and longitude 82.9°E — around 160 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 240 km south-southeast of Kakinada, 320 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam, and 530 km south-southwest of Gopalpur.

The system is likely to continue moving north-northwestward and make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, between 1200 to 1800 UTC today (October 28) as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph.