Cyclone Montha has strengthened into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal, the IMD reported..The storm, moving north-northwest at 15 kmph, is set to make landfall near Kakinada between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam tonight..Wind speeds may reach 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, with extremely heavy rainfall expected across coastal Andhra Pradesh..The IMD has issued a red alert for 19 districts, warning of rainfall exceeding 20 cm in 24 hours..NDRF and SDRF teams are on high alert as thousands are being evacuated from low-lying and coastal areas in Andhra and Odisha..In Odisha, over 3,000 people, including 1,496 pregnant women, have been moved to 1,445 cyclone shelters to ensure zero casualties..Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured full central support, while Andhra CM N. Chandrababu Naidu oversees real-time flood and evacuation measures..La Niña’s chill ushers in an early, biting winter.Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest