Cyclone Murasu likely to hit Andhra Pradesh coast on Monday
The India Meteorological Department has issued red alerts for five districts as the storm approaches the coast.
Cyclone Murasu is predicted to make landfall between Nellore and Narsapur from Monday midnight to early Tuesday, according to The Times of India. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that the deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm on Sunday.
The storm is expected to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm on Monday. It may carry sustained winds of 100kmph to 110kmph and gusts reaching up to 120kmph.
The IMD has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall on Monday for Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, and Nellore districts. An orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall was issued for seven districts, including East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR, Palnadu, Tirupati, and Chittoor.
In Nellore, District Collector Himanshu Shukla has sounded a high alert. He warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall and gale winds, noting the cyclone may cross the coast between Kavali and Kandukur between Monday evening and midnight.
Collector Shukla advised residents in low-lying and coastal areas to move to safer locations and told fishermen not to venture into the sea. A 24-hour control room has been established at the collectorate to manage emergencies.