Cyclone Murasu crosses Andhra Pradesh coast with 110 kmph winds
Odisha has evacuated 1.6 lakh people as the cyclone brings heavy rain and high waves to several coastal states.
Cyclone Murasu made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur around 1 am on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The storm completely crossed the coastline by 4 am, with wind speeds reaching 100-110 kmph in coastal areas, Bhaskar English reported.
The Odisha government has evacuated approximately 1.6 lakh people from the Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts to safer locations. In Odisha's Puri district, heavy rainfall and high waves have been reported since Monday morning.
In Andhra Pradesh, at least 19 flights have been cancelled at three airports. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 13 teams in the state, with 90 personnel from three teams sent to Nellore, Prakasam and Markapuram districts for relief and rescue operations.
Tamil Nadu has experienced heavy rainfall since Sunday night, with Madhavaram recording 11 cm of rain. Schools in Chennai have been closed, and the Greater Chennai Corporation has deployed water pumps and field teams to address flooding in two subways.
The NDRF has deployed 37 teams across five states to manage relief and rescue efforts. The impact of the cyclone is also expected to be felt in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra.