Cyclone Murasu Heads For Andhra Pradesh Coast As Alerts Sound Across Three States

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm named Murasu, which means war drum. The storm is set to make landfall on the morning of November 3 between Nellore and Narsapur in Andhra Pradesh, bringing wind speeds of 100 to 110 kmph that can gust up to 120 kmph, according to the India Meteorological Department.

What Happened

The storm moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 25 kmph over the past six hours. It was last centred about 350 km east of Chennai, 400 km east-southeast of Nellore, 430 km southeast of Machilipatnam, 420 km east-southeast of Kavali, 450 km southeast of Ongole, and 520 km south of Visakhapatnam. In preparation for heavy rains, Chennai and Tiruvallur District Collectors announced that all schools and colleges in those districts will remain closed on Monday, November 2. Palnadu District Collector Kritika Shukla also announced a holiday for all government and private schools, colleges, and Anganwadi centres on Tuesday. Meanwhile, authorities issued an orange alert in six Telangana districts and a yellow alert in five districts for Monday.

Official Action

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu spoke with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to ask for help with power restoration. Mr. Naidu requested workers and machinery to help fix power systems because a large number of power poles were damaged by the cyclone. Mr. Vijay responded positively to the request, and Andhra Pradesh also sought assistance from Karnataka for power restoration.

Context

Cyclonic storms frequently form in the Bay of Bengal during this time of year, often bringing heavy rainfall, high winds, and widespread disruptions to India's eastern coastal states. Authorities routinely issue weather alerts, shut educational institutions, and coordinate interstate assistance to manage emergency response and infrastructure repairs.