Vishakhapatnam — Barely a week after Cyclone Arnab battered the eastern coast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a high alert as Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu rapidly closes in on Andhra Pradesh. Named "Murasu" (meaning war drum in Tamil), the system is currently churning over the west-central Bay of Bengal and is projected to make landfall tonight.
According to the latest IMD bulletin, Murasu is moving northwestwards at a speed of 20 kmph. The weather agency expects the system to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole, between 11:30 PM on Monday and 4:00 AM on Tuesday. The storm is packed with sustained wind speeds of 100–110 kmph, gusting up to 120 kmph.
State governments have launched aggressive mobilization drives to mitigate potential damage. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu cancelled his scheduled visit to Delhi to oversee emergency operations, deploying six National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and seven State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams to vulnerable coastal sectors.
"While retaining the arrangements made for Cyclone Arnab, the state has upgraded its machinery to deal with this fresh threat," stated Odisha Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, where southern districts are already bracing for extreme downpours.
Meanwhile, life has slowed down along the coast. Authorities in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Guntur, and NTR districts have shut down schools and colleges. Flight operations have faced serious disruptions, with at least 11 commercial flights cancelled at Chennai Airport.
A strict warning has been issued to fishermen to avoid venturing into the rough seas over the next four days.