Severe cyclonic storm Murasu nears coast, triggers alerts in three states
Cyclone Murasu is expected to make landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast between November 2 and November 3.
Severe cyclonic storm Murasu has intensified over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole between late November 2 and the early hours of November 3, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The storm is moving northwest at 20 kmph and is likely to bring sustained wind speeds of 100-110 kmph with gusts up to 120 kmph at landfall.
According to reports by Urban Acres and OTV, Tamil Nadu has issued an orange alert for Tiruvallur for November 1 due to the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall. Other districts in Tamil Nadu are expected to receive heavy rainfall under a yellow alert on November 2, while the Nilgiris face a yellow alert for heavy rain on November 3.
In Odisha, the Regional Meteorological Centre has issued an orange warning for Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts for Tuesday. A yellow warning has been issued for Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khordha and Cuttack, while the entire state is under a rain and wind warning for November 4.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu cancelled his Delhi visit on Sunday to review precautionary measures and the status of water reservoirs. The IMD stated that landfall is likely to occur between Nellore and Narsapur between 11.30 pm on November 2 and 4 am on November 3.
The cyclone is expected to affect Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In Andhra Pradesh, nine mandals in Eluru district, five each in Krishna and NTR districts, and one in Bapatla are forecast to receive extremely heavy rainfall.