Cyclone Montha: A Costly Storm for India's Eastern Coast

Cyclone Montha recently hit India's eastern coast, causing significant damage. The storm brought heavy rain and strong winds, flooding farms, roads, and buildings in Andhra Pradesh. The damage is estimated at nearly 53 billion rupees, which is about $603 million. The farm sector was hit the hardest, with losses around 8. 68 billion rupees. The storm also killed 120 animals, but thankfully, no human deaths were reported. The cyclone didn't just affect Andhra Pradesh. Neighboring Telangana also experienced heavy rain and flooding. People had to wade through knee-deep water, carrying whatever they could save. Rescue workers were busy helping residents move to safer areas. The good news is that the cyclone is expected to weaken soon. Cyclones are common in India between April and December. One of the worst was in 1999, when a super cyclone killed nearly 10, 000 people in Odisha. It's a reminder of how powerful these storms can be. The damage from Cyclone Montha shows how important it is to be prepared and have strong infrastructure to handle such natural disasters.