Days after Cyclone Arnab, eastern coast gears up for Cyclone 'Murasu'

Days after Cyclone Arnab battered India's eastern coast, another cyclonic storm, named Murasu, formed over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday, prompting fresh alerts for Andhra Pradesh and adjoining northern Tamil Nadu as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of severe weather conditions over the next two days.

The weather department said the deep depression over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Storm Murasu on Sunday morning. The system is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday before crossing the southern Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur during the night of November 2 and the early hours of November 3.

According to the IMD, the cyclone is likely to make landfall with sustained wind speeds of 100–110 kmph, gusting up to 120 kmph. The approaching storm has raised concerns in coastal districts already dealing with the aftermath of Cyclone Arnab, which caused extensive damage in Andhra Pradesh last week.

𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗵𝗿𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁

In its latest bulletin, the IMD said the weather system had moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 23 kmph during the preceding six hours before intensifying into a cyclonic storm.

At 11.30 am on Sunday, Murasu was centred near latitude 12.1 degrees north and longitude 85.3 degrees east, approximately 560 km east-southeast of Chennai, 660 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 630 km east-southeast of Nellore, 640 km southeast of Machilipatnam and 680 km east-southeast of Ongole.

The storm is expected to continue moving west-northwestwards and intensify further over the west-central Bay of Bengal by Monday morning. It is then forecast to turn northwestwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coastline.

The IMD has identified the period between 11.30 pm on November 2 and 4 am on November 3 as the likely window for landfall.

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀

The approaching cyclone is expected to bring heavy to extremely heavy rainfall to parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema on November 2 and 3. The weather department has warned that intense rainfall and strong winds could disrupt normal life in vulnerable coastal areas.

Authorities are closely monitoring the storm's movement as coastal communities prepare for another spell of severe weather. The forecast wind speeds could pose risks to vulnerable structures, trees, electricity infrastructure and fishing activities.

The IMD has also issued a cyclone alert for adjoining areas of northern Tamil Nadu, where weather conditions are expected to deteriorate as the system approaches the coast.

𝗢𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀

The Odisha government has placed its southern districts on high alert as the cyclone approaches the eastern coastline.

State Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the administration had ordered the evacuation of people from low-lying areas and vulnerable hilly terrain as part of precautionary measures.

Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Director Manorama Mohanty said Odisha was expected to receive rainfall from November 2, with the intensity likely to increase on November 3 and 4 under the influence of the cyclonic system.

Officials are monitoring the situation and preparing to respond to possible flooding and other weather-related emergencies.

𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸

Murasu's formation comes shortly after Cyclone Arnab made landfall near Odalarevu on the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 29, bringing destructive winds and heavy rainfall to several areas.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has estimated the preliminary damage caused by Arnab at approximately Rs 4,600 crore across the state.

The emergence of another cyclonic system within days has increased pressure on disaster management agencies, particularly in areas where restoration and relief operations following the previous storm are still underway.

The name Murasu, suggested by India, means a traditional drum or war drum in Tamil.

The IMD is continuing to track the cyclone's intensity and movement, with further advisories expected as it approaches the coast.