Cabinet Secretary chairs NCMC to review preparedness for Bay of Bengal cyclone
Cabinet Secretary Dr. T. V. Somanathan chaired the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on 25 October 2025 to review preparedness for a cyclone forming over the Bay of Bengal.
Summary
On 25 October 2025 in New Delhi, Cabinet Secretary Dr. T. V. Somanathan chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on the cyclone expected to form over the Bay of Bengal. The India Meteorological Department said the depression lay about 950 km east-southeast of Chennai and 960 km southeast of Visakhapatnam. The Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry and the Additional Chief Secretary of Odisha described shelters, evacuation plans and NDRF and SDRF teams on standby. Fishermen were told not to go to sea off Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Yanam (Puducherry) and Odisha from 26 to 29 October. The Indian Coast Guard had already guided more than 900 ships to jetties and shores, and NDRF teams were to be mobilised by 26 October. The Cabinet Secretary said the aim was zero loss of life. (This system later became Cyclone Montha, which made landfall near Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh, on 28 October.)
Key facts
- Date
- 25 Oct 2025
- Chaired by
- Cabinet Secretary Dr. T. V. Somanathan
- States/UTs reviewed
- Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Odisha
- Fishing ban advisory
- 26–29 Oct 2025
- Coast Guard
- Over 900 ships shepherded to shore
- Goal
- Zero loss of life
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Who chaired the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) meeting on 25 October 2025 that reviewed preparedness for the impending cyclone in the Bay of Bengal?
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Correct answer: B — Cabinet Secretary Dr. T. V. Somanathan
PIB: Cabinet Secretary Dr. T. V. Somanathan chaired the NCMC meeting; the Union Home Secretary and NDMA officials attended.
Consider the following statements about the NCMC review of 25 October 2025: 1. Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea off Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Odisha from 26 to 29 October. 2. The Indian Coast Guard had shepherded over 900 ships to jetties and shores. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct as per the PIB release on the NCMC meeting.
The NCMC on 25 October 2025 reviewed cyclone preparedness of several state/UT governments. Which one of the following was NOT among them?
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Correct answer: C — West Bengal
PIB: the Cabinet Secretary reviewed the preparedness of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. West Bengal was not part of the review.