In October 2025, which severe cyclonic storm affected the eastern coastal parts of India?

Question

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Correct — C, Montha. Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha formed over the Bay of Bengal and crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kakinada on the evening of 28 October 2025, with sustained winds of about 90-100 km/h gusting to 110 km/h. It brought torrential rain and flooding to coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and adjoining Odisha, damaged tens of thousands of hectares of crops, and forced the evacuation of over 76,000 people. The name Montha was contributed by Thailand to the RSMC New Delhi naming list and means 'fragrant flower'.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Fengal did hit the east coast, but a year earlier — it made landfall near Puducherry on 30 November 2024 and flooded Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Wrong year, not October 2025.  (b) The sharpest trap: Shakhti was indeed a severe cyclonic storm in early October 2025, but it formed over the Arabian Sea — the west side — moved west-southwestwards away from the Indian mainland and never affected the eastern coast.  (d) Asna was an Arabian Sea system of late August 2024 that moved off the Gujarat–Kutch coast towards Oman — a rare August cyclone, and again on the western side, not the eastern coast.

Concept: The India Meteorological Department is the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) for the north Indian Ocean, so it tracks, classifies and names every cyclone in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Names are drawn in rotation from a list contributed by 13 member countries, and each name is used only once. IMD grades intensity by 3-minute sustained wind speed: Depression 31-49 km/h, Deep Depression 50-61, Cyclonic Storm 62-88, Severe Cyclonic Storm 89-117, Very Severe 118-166, Extremely Severe 167-221 and Super Cyclone 222 km/h and above.

State PCS 2026 Q8 — Geography PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2026 Q8 — Geography PYQ with Answer