India evacuates tens of thousands as Cyclone Montha gains strength

India moved 50,000 people to relief camps on Monday as it began evacuations a day before Cyclone Montha, intensifying over the Bay of Bengal, is set to bring strong winds and heavy rains to its east coast, officials said.

Authorities cancelled holidays for emergency staff and ordered schools and colleges to close in coastal areas of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh and the eastern state of Odisha forecast to be hit by the harsh weather.

The cyclone is likely to turn into a severe storm by Tuesday, before crossing the coast of Andhra Pradesh later in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"Evacuation of people from near the coast in Kakinada district has already started," a disaster management official in Andhra Pradesh told Reuters.

Nearly 50,000 people have been moved to relief camps, a government report showed.

Disaster teams have fanned out to move families from low-lying areas in Andhra Pradesh, where the government expects 3.9 million people to be affected.

Fishermen in the neighbouring state of Odisha were warned to avoid venturing to sea.

Cyclones frequently hit India's east coast between April and December. A super cyclone that killed nearly 10,000 when it hit Odisha in October 1999 remains one of the country's deadliest natural disasters.

Authorities in the southern state of Tamil Nadu have urged people to keep alert following forecasts for heavy to very heavy rain in some districts.

Chennai, the state capital, is prone to flooding during intense rains, such as those brought by Cyclone Michaung in 2023.

In the Himalayan nation of Nepal, disaster authorities have warned of possible rain and snowfall from Tuesday through Friday and advised trekkers to keep alert.