The devastating aftermath of Cyclone Montha has left large swathes of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana battling severe flooding and infrastructure collapse, even as authorities credit timely preparedness for preventing greater loss of life. The cyclone, which rapidly intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, made landfall between Nellore and Anakapalle, lashing the coastal belt with torrential rain and high-speed winds. The impact extended inland, inundating districts across both states and throwing life out of gear. In Andhra Pradesh, the storm’s fury was most pronounced in Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, and Guntur, regions that bore the brunt of flash floods and road washouts. Power lines were snapped, communication networks suffered outages, and hundreds of homes were damaged, as per a report on The New Indian Express.
The government’s early evacuation efforts and pre-positioning of disaster response teams, however, helped avert major casualties. Cyclone Montha Ravages Telangana According to the Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS), Nekkonda received 24. 63 cm of rainfall, followed by Parvathagiri with 23. 48 cm. Several other regions, including Amrabad, Uppununtala, Veltur, and Ainolu, also saw record downpours.
Authorities declared holidays for schools and colleges across multiple districts, including Warangal, Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, and Mahabubabad, reported Times of India. In Khammam, officials opened 23 gates of the Paleru reservoir to release excess inflows, while coal mining operations in Bhadrachalam were suspended amid flooding. In Ongole, submerged roads, power outages, and extensive flooding crippled movement. Rescue teams saved several stranded individuals — including a man who clung to a tree overnight — and evacuated 200 workers trapped at the Veligonda Reservoir Project. Emergency crews also rescued nine buses marooned near Palnadu, while 1.
13 lakh cusecs of water were released from the Gundlakamma Reservoir to prevent a breach. In Nellore, the rising Pennar River forced flood alerts, as three sand transport boats broke free near the Sangam Penna bridge, narrowly avoiding a major accident. Several low-lying areas, including Bogolu mandal, remain underwater. Further north, swollen rivers in Srikakulam and Anakapalle breached danger levels, prompting evacuations and disrupting transport. Landslides at Srisailam stranded hundreds of pilgrims; temple authorities, led by Executive Officer M.
Srinivasa Rao, launched annaprasadam and relief efforts to support those affected.
