Severe Cyclone Murasu to cross Andhra coast early Tuesday; heavy rain alert for Tamil Nadu

Severe Cyclone Murasu over the Bay of Bengal is expected to cross the southern Andhra Pradesh coast between midnight and 4 a.m. on Tuesday, with Chennai and other northern coastal districts of Tamil Nadu likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Chennai Regional Meteorological Centre Director Durai said the cyclone could bring winds of 100–120 kmph near its centre during landfall. Chennai and Tiruvallur are likely to experience strong winds with gusts reaching 80 kmph.

Rainfall in Chennai is expected to continue until Tuesday morning, while inland districts, including Vellore and the Nilgiris, are also likely to receive heavy showers over the next 24 hours.

Durai said the cyclone was not expected to cause damage on the scale of the previous Cyclone Arnab. However, precautionary measures have been initiated in vulnerable areas. Fishermen along the northern Tamil Nadu coast have been advised not to venture into the sea due to strong winds and rough conditions.

The weather department expects rainfall to gradually reduce to moderate levels after November 7, although intermittent showers may continue into the second week of November.

Tamil Nadu has recorded 18 per cent excess rainfall compared to the seasonal normal during the ongoing Northeast Monsoon, Durai said. Local administrations remain on alert to deal with possible emergencies.