Cyclone Murasu to trigger heavy rain across South Odisha
The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange warning for five southern districts as the cyclonic storm moves towards the Andhra Pradesh coast.
Cyclone Murasu, which intensified into a cyclonic storm on Sunday, is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to several parts of Odisha, particularly in the south, according to reports by The New Indian Express and Deccan Chronicle. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange warning for Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts for November 3 and 4.
The storm was located over the southwest and west-central Bay of Bengal at 5.30 pm on Sunday. It is expected to intensify into a severe cyclone over the west-central Bay of Bengal on Monday morning and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narasapur near Ongole by the morning of November 3.
During landfall, wind speeds are expected to reach 100 kmph to 110 kmph with gusts up to 120 kmph. While the cyclone is not expected to make direct landfall in Odisha, its indirect impact will trigger widespread rainfall and thunderstorms across the state.
On Monday, Ganjam and Gajapati districts are likely to receive heavy rainfall of 7 cm to 12 cm at isolated places. On November 3, heavy rainfall is also forecast for Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh. On November 4, heavy rain is expected in Nuapada, Nayagarh, Puri, Khordha, Bolangir and Bargarh, alongside the five districts under the orange warning.
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar reported that wind gusts of up to 70 kmph may occur in South Odisha on November 3. Officials are working to identify people in hilltop hamlets to move them to safety before landfall. Rainfall intensity is expected to decline from November 5.