Cyclone Murasu turns severe: Andhra on edge, Telangana and Odisha on alert, Chennai shuts schools

 Cyclone Murasu has gathered strength over the Bay of Bengal and now sits in the severe cyclonic storm category. Authorities across Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Telangana have gone into preparation mode, with schools shut in several districts and heavy rain warnings out across five states.

The India Meteorological Department says the storm is likely to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole, late tonight or in the early hours of 3 November. Winds of 100 to 110 kmph are expected along the coast around landfall, with gusts reaching 120 kmph.

As of Monday morning the system lay about 260 km east-northeast of Chennai and roughly 290 km east-southeast of Nellore.

Where the rain will hit

Coastal Andhra Pradesh can expect heavy to very heavy rain on 2 and 3 November, with extremely heavy falls possible in some places.

In Tamil Nadu, heavy to very heavy rain is forecast for the same two days, and Chennai and Tiruvallur are under an orange alert.

Telangana is likely to see heavy rain from 2 to 4 November, with extremely heavy rain possible in places on 3 November. Orange alerts cover Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy. Yellow alerts are out for Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Jangaon and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri.

South Odisha will get heavy rain on 2 November, and the IMD expects it to intensify on 3 and 4 November. South Chhattisgarh faces heavy rain on 2 November, followed by very heavy rain over the next two days.

Schools and colleges shut

Chennai and Tiruvallur declared a holiday for schools and colleges on 2 November.

In Andhra Pradesh, institutions are closed in NTR, Palnadu, Nellore and Gudur districts, and some buildings may be turned into temporary cyclone shelters. Teaching and non-teaching staff there have been told to stay available for emergency duty.

In Odisha, Malkangiri has closed schools and colleges from 2 to 4 November.

The IMD expects Murasu to weaken into a cyclonic storm by the morning of 3 November, with winds of 80 to 90 kmph.

By that night it should drop to a deep depression, and by 4 November morning to a depression. Rain will carry on over parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh through 4 November even as the winds fall.

Fishermen have been told to stay away from the affected parts of the Bay of Bengal and the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

People in low-lying and coastal areas have been asked to follow local instructions and stay indoors while the storm passes.