Cyclone Montha heads toward North Telangana; Heavy rains and gusty winds forecast

The IMD has warned that remnants of Cyclone Montha are moving toward North Telangana, bringing the risk of heavy rain, gusty winds, and flash floods. Districts along the Godavari basin, including Bhadrachalam and Khammam, are expected to be the worst affected.

Hyderabad: India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert, warning that the remnants of a deep depression triggered by the severe cyclonic storm – Montha are heading perilously to North Telangana and South Bastar regions. The cyclone has now weakened but remains a potential threat.

According to the latest IMD observations and forecast tracks, the system, dubbed the “remnants’, is tracing a path that spells trouble for North Telangana. Initially expected to dissipate over the east coast, the depression has taken an unexpected northward turn.

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The system is said to be intensifying slightly as it interacts with local moisture. It would have its impact in the region over the next 24-48 hours. The districts along the Godavari River basin are falling in the direct target zone to bear its impact. From Bhadrachalam in the east to Karimnagar in the northwest, the entire stretch will experience sweeping winds clocking between 28 and 33 kilometres per hour.

These gusts, though not intense, could uproot trees, disrupt power lines and complicate travel on already waterlogged roads. Low-lying areas, still recovering from last week’s unseasonal rains, face the added risk of flash flooding. Heavy rainfall is the storm’s most immediate threat, with IMD models predicting downpours exceeding 100 mm in isolated pockets.

The likely hardest-hit districts include Bhadrachalam, Khammam, Mulugu, Bhupalpally, Mahabubabad, and Peddapalli, regions characterised by dense forests, tribal hamlets, and agricultural fields ripe for harvest. Farmers in the agency area of the state are worried.

The Telangana State Disaster Response and Relief Department has mobilised rapid response teams across the affected zones.