Cyclone Montha has weakened after hitting India’s east coast with rain and wind.

Cyclone Montha, after battering India’s east coast with torrential rains and strong winds, was weakening on Wednesday as rescue teams raced to restore power and clear debris in southern Andhra Pradesh and neighboring states. Odisha State.

The storm made landfall near the port city of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh late Tuesday with sustained winds of up to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph), uprooting trees, damaging roads and flooding low-lying areas and losing some strength as it moved inland.

The storm is likely to move towards northwest coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Telangana The state as it became vulnerable to a depression Indian The Metrological Department gave this information on Wednesday. By morning, sustained winds had weakened to 83 kilometers per hour (52 mph).

Montha, named by Thailand Following a fragrant bloom, storm surge of up to 10 feet (3 m) also occurred in Kakinada and surrounding areas.

Authorities in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha did not immediately confirm deaths from the storm, although local media reported that a woman died after a tree fell on her home.

As of Thursday, moderate to heavy rain was expected in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana and Chhattisgarh states.

Thousands of people from low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha were evacuated to relief camps before the storm made landfall.

India’s disaster management agencies have improved preparedness for tropical cyclones in recent years with effective evacuation plans and early warning systems.

India’s eastern coast has long been at risk from cyclones, but the number of intense storms hitting the country’s coasts is increasing. India’s deadliest cyclone season in recent years was 2023, which killed 523 people and caused an estimated $2.5 billion in damage.

Climate scientists say severe storms are becoming more frequent South AsiaGlobal warming, caused by gases warming the planet, has made them more extreme and unpredictable.