Amaravati: Cyclone ‘Murasu’, active over the Bay of Bengal, has now intensified into a severe cyclonic storm. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), it is expected to hit the Andhra Pradesh coast early Tuesday. An alert has been issued in the state in anticipation of the storm’s impact, and teams have been deployed for relief and rescue operations.
Winds expected to blow at speeds of 100 to 110 kmph
According to the IMD bulletin, Cyclone ‘Murasu’, active over the west-central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, moved northwestward at a speed of 20 kmph during the past six hours. It subsequently intensified into a severe cyclonic storm.
At 2:30 am on November 2, the center of the storm was located approximately 260 kilometers east-northeast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 290 kilometers east-southeast of Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, 320 kilometers south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 310 kilometers east-southeast of Kavali, 330 kilometers southeast of Ongole, and 470 kilometers south of Visakhapatnam.
According to the Meteorological Department, the storm is expected to move northwest and cross the coast of South Andhra Pradesh near Ongole, between Nellore and Narsapur, between midnight of November 2 and the morning of November 3. Wind speeds are expected to be 100 to 110 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching up to 120 kilometers per hour.
Heavy rain alert in several districts
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has advised people to remain vigilant. Prakhar Jain, Managing Director of APSDMA and CEO of the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) Centre, stated that heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions on Monday and Tuesday.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Markapur, and Nellore districts on Monday. Extremely heavy rainfall is also expected at isolated places in these districts.
Very heavy rainfall is also likely in parts of Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, NTR, Palnadu, Tirupati, and Chittoor districts. Heavy rainfall is also expected in some areas of Alluri, Polavaram, Kakinada, and Konaseema districts. Rainfall is also possible in Nandyal, YSR Kadapa, and Annamalai districts.
NDRF and SDRF teams deployed
The administration has already begun preparations to deal with the storm. According to Prakhar Jain, six teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and seven teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed for relief and rescue operations.
Help sought from other states to restore power supply
In view of the potential for uprooting of power poles and widespread damage to power infrastructure due to the cyclone, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the phone on Sunday. He requested that Andhra Pradesh send the necessary personnel and machinery to restore power supply in the affected areas.
According to an official statement issued late Sunday night, both Chief Ministers responded positively and assured Andhra Pradesh of all possible assistance. Chandrababu Naidu stated that Andhra Pradesh officials would coordinate with officials from both states to provide the necessary support.
Meanwhile, Telangana personnel are already working on the ground to restore power infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Arnab. As a precaution, the Andhra Pradesh government has also placed on standby electricity department employees who have completed restoration work in areas affected by Cyclone Arnab. If needed, they will be deployed to areas affected by Murasu.
Clarify the time-reference in the title. Summarize the storm situation.