Cyclone Montha Devastates Coastal Agriculture : #newindianexpress

Cyclone Montha has posed a severe threat to rice cultivation in coastal India. According to preliminary assessments, approximately 38,000 hectares of standing paddy crops and 1.38 lakh hectares (138,000 hectares) of horticulture crops have been damaged in Andhra Pradesh alone. Major paddy-growing districts including Krishna (162,123 hectares), Bapatla (98,898 hectares), Kakinada (89,984 hectares), and West Godavari (92,169 hectares) faced significant risk, with over 8.37 lakh hectares of paddy vulnerable to damage. The cyclone brought wind speeds of 80-90 kmph before landfall, intensifying to 100-110 kmph during landfall, causing severe flattening of standing crops and creating a major crisis for farmers.