Chennai and Tiruvallur Schools Shut as Cyclone Murasu Looms

Schools and colleges in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts were ordered closed on Monday, November 2, 2026, as a precaution against heavy rain from the approaching Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu, the district collectors announced. The storm, which began as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday, intensified into a cyclonic storm named Murasu – a word that means war drum – and later reached severe cyclonic storm status over the southwest and west‑central Bay of Bengal. The India Meteorological Department warned that Murasu will make landfall on the morning of November 3 between Nellore and Narsapur in Andhra Pradesh, with sustained winds of 100‑110 km/h and gusts up to 120 km/h. In the six hours before the announcement, the system moved west‑northwest at about 25 kmph. Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran inspected the city’s situation at the ICCC in Ripon Buildings after continuous rains that started Sunday night. The closure affects several districts of Tamil Nadu, but Chennai and Tiruvallur are explicitly mentioned as having schools and colleges shut for the day.

Context

Cyclone warnings in coastal Tamil Nadu often lead to school closures to protect students from flooding and strong winds. The IMD’s forecast of a landfall near the Andhra Pradesh coast indicates the storm will cross the state before moving inland, reducing the immediate threat to Chennai after the rains subside.