Cyclone Murasu intensifies into severe cyclonic storm near Andhra coast
The India Meteorological Department has issued red alerts for several Andhra Pradesh districts as the storm approaches landfall.
Cyclonic Storm Murasu intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the West Central and Southwest Bay of Bengal in the early hours on Monday, November 2, according to The Hindu. The system is expected to move northwestwards and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole with wind speeds of 100 to 110 kmph and gusts up to 120 kmph.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that the storm is likely to make landfall between Nellore and Narsapur during the midnight of November 2 to the early hours of November 3. The IMD noted that Nellore, Narsapur, and Ongole are likely to be the worst affected by the impact.
The IMD has issued a red alert for Monday in the Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, and Nellore districts. An orange alert has been issued for East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR, Palnadu, Tirupati, and Chittoor, while a yellow warning was issued for Alluri Sitarama Raju, Kakinada, Konaseema, Nandyal, Kadapa, and Annamayya districts.
In Tamil Nadu, torrential rainfall has affected Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur districts since Sunday night. Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G S Sameeran said that while there is no major flooding, there has been some minor water stagnation in certain areas.
Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority managing director Prakhar Jain said that around 2,000 people have been evacuated, with plans to evacuate some 30,000 people. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh for relief operations.
Flight operations have been impacted by the weather, with Chennai Airport authorities announcing the cancellation of certain flights on Monday. IndiGo also issued a travel advisory following disrupted flight operations in Visakhapatnam.