AMARAVATI, November 1 (Aalimi Nation) – Cyclone Murasu has formed over the Bay of Bengal and is heading for the south Andhra Pradesh coast, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red alert for extremely heavy rain and the state moving to evacuate vulnerable areas.
The system, which began as a deep depression, has strengthened into a cyclonic storm. The IMD said it is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday morning.
Track and intensity
On Sunday the storm was about 560 km east-southeast of Chennai and 660 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam. It is expected to move west-northwest and strengthen over the west-central Bay of Bengal.
According to the IMD, it is expected to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a very severe cyclonic storm between the night of Monday and early Tuesday, November 3. Forecast sustained winds are 100 to 110 km/h, with gusts up to 120 km/h. Forecasts differ slightly on the exact crossing point, with the stretch between Nellore and Narsapur and the Bapatla area both mentioned, so the final track will depend on the latest official bulletins.
The IMD has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rain over coastal Andhra Pradesh, including a red alert for November 2 in Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam and SPSR Nellore districts. An orange alert for very heavy rain covers Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Telangana.
Heavy rain is also expected over Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Mahe, Odisha and south interior Karnataka over the next two days. Fishermen have been told not to venture into the southeast Bay of Bengal until Monday and into the southwest Bay of Bengal until the morning of November 4.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed preparations and, according to reports, cancelled a planned visit to Delhi because of the storm. Six National Disaster Response Force teams and seven State Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed, and control rooms are functioning.
Evacuations from unsafe areas have been ordered. Residents have been urged to follow official warnings and to call 112 or 1070 in an emergency.
Odisha is still recovering from Cyclone Arnab and the floods that followed. The IMD forecasts heavy to very heavy rain in southern districts on Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the risk of flash floods and landslides in districts including Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Nowarangpur and Malkangiri.
Officials said vulnerable areas are being evacuated and district collectors are on high alert. Government leave in Nowarangpur has been cancelled until November 5. One radial gate and two sluice gates of the Balimela reservoir have been opened, releasing about 6,000 cusecs of water.
The cyclone has not yet made landfall, and every figure above is a forecast. Intensity, track and timing can change, and the IMD is expected to issue updated bulletins through Monday.
