Saturday, 01 November 2025
Saturday, 01 November 2025
Cyclone ‘Montha’ tore through Telangana and Andhra Pradesh this week, leaving behind a grim trail of death, destruction, and political sparring.
At least six people lost their lives in Telangana as torrential rains pounded multiple districts, while adjoining Andhra Pradesh counted the cost of a shattered power network worth thousands of crores in the aftermath of the cyclone Montha.
In Telangana, a husband and wife in Siddipet were swept away while trying to cross an overflowing stream on a two-wheeler; their bodies were found on Friday. In Jangaon, a woman met the same fate, pulled under by rushing floodwaters.
A man in Suryapet was crushed when a roadside tree fell on him mid-ride. In Mahabubabad, a wall cave claimed the life of an elderly woman, while in Warangal, a bedridden man drowned inside his home as water surged in.
Officials said several others are still missing, feared to have been washed away in the deluge.
The 29 October downpour led to waterlogging of roads and inundation of low-lying areas at several places in Warangal, Hanamakonda, Mahabubabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Nalgonda and Siddipet districts.
Across the border in Andhra Pradesh, the damage was more on the infrastructure but no less severe.
Chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu pegged the state’s losses at Rs 5,265 crore.
“Nearly 13,000 electric poles, 3,000 km of conductor lines, and 3,000 transformers were damaged in the recent severe cyclonic storm 'Montha',” said energy minister G. Ravi Kumar on Friday. The energy department, Kumar said, had anticipated the worst.
“The department mobilised staff two days in advance to ensure a rapid response during the cyclone,” Kumar said. “Andhra Pradesh suffered significant damage to its power infrastructure during Cyclone Montha, with thousands of poles and transformers affected across coastal districts.”
Kumar claimed that public safety was prioritised and that restoration work began even as the storm raged. Nearly 1,500 personnel were deployed, enabling electricity restoration within 24 hours.
“Power supply to feeders linked to agriculture and aquaculture would be fully restored within 48 hours,” he said, adding that shutdowns were limited to areas with severe winds.
But amid the official updates, politics found its way into the storm. Taking aim at YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, Kumar said, “Reddy, who once rolled out the red carpet during disaster inspections, has no moral right to speak about cyclones now.”
“Reddy might be upset that there was no large-scale loss of life due to Cyclone 'Montha', thanks to the state’s effective preparedness and coordination among departments,” he added.
