Cyclone Murasu Crosses Andhra Coast Triggering Heavy Rainfall; Chennai Flights Cancelled, Schools Shut

Severe cyclonic storm Murasu made landfall along the south Andhra Pradesh coast on Tuesday, November 3, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds of 100–110 kmph, gusting up to 120 kmph, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The landfall process began around 1 am and the cyclone crossed the coast between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole in Prakasam district, between 3.30 am and 5.30 am. At 5.30 am, the storm was centred over south coastal Andhra Pradesh, approximately 40 km southwest of Bapatla.

The IMD said Murasu was moving north-northwestwards at a speed of 8 kmph. It is expected to weaken into a cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 80–90 kmph by Tuesday afternoon before further degrading into a deep depression by midnight.

The weather system has triggered heavy rainfall across Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry and parts of Tamil Nadu, disrupting normal life and prompting authorities to activate disaster response measures.

Heavy Rainfall And Red Alerts

The cyclone has brought heavy rainfall to several parts of Andhra Pradesh, with the IMD issuing red warnings for Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, NTR and Prakasam districts.

Heavy spells of rainfall are likely across South Coastal Andhra Pradesh over the next 12 hours. The IMD's Regional Meteorological Centre also forecast heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district over the next 24 hours.

Continuous rainfall has been reported in Puducherry since midnight, while North Tamil Nadu has also experienced persistent showers.

The IMD had earlier forecast that Murasu would intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm before crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, near Ongole.

Flights, Transport And Schools Disrupted

Adverse weather conditions have affected flight operations and regional transport hubs, with delays reported at Visakhapatnam Airport. Domestic airlines issued advisories warning passengers of delays and flight realignments at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati airports due to heavy rainfall and severe crosswinds.

School and college closures were announced in several districts of Andhra Pradesh. District Collectors in Bapatla, Palnadu, NTR, Nellore and Gudur ordered the closure of government, corporate and private educational institutions.

In Tamil Nadu, schools and colleges in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts were closed on Monday due to the weather. Eleven flights from Chennai to various destinations were also cancelled.

Chennai received 7.6 cm of rainfall as of Monday, according to the IMD. The Greater Chennai Corporation received 237 complaints related to water stagnation, 32 concerning fallen trees and 133 about streetlights.

Despite the rainfall, 21 subways in Chennai were not inundated and remained open to traffic.

The IMD has advised the suspension of offshore operations and urged fishermen along the Andhra Pradesh and northern Tamil Nadu coasts to remain ashore until weather conditions normalise.

What Measures Have The Andhra Pradesh And Tamil Nadu Governments Taken?

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan held emergency review meetings with District Collectors to coordinate disaster response efforts.

Home Minister Amit Shah took to X to share details of his call with the CM. He wrote, "Assured him of every possible assistance from the Centre. NDRF and SDRF teams are already on the ground, helping those affected. Govt of India stands with people with an unwavering resolve."

The state government also activated emergency helplines, including the 'Mana Mitra' WhatsApp support system, to address public relief queries.

In Tamil Nadu, the government has put contingency measures in place to prevent disruption to normal life. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams from Arakkonam and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams remain deployed across vulnerable areas.

Andhra Pradesh has also received support from neighbouring states for restoration work. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on X that teams from the state were on their way to Andhra Pradesh to assist with relief and restoration efforts.

Naidu thanked Shivakumar and the people of Karnataka for their support, saying their timely assistance during the cyclone would not be forgotten.

Andhra Pradesh has previously sought assistance from neighbouring states following natural calamities, including the recent very severe cyclonic storm Arnab. Telangana's Energy Department personnel were also deployed to restore and repair damaged electricity infrastructure following the earlier storm.