Cyclone Murasu, which has formed in the Bay of Bengal, has been moving at a speed of 23 km per hour over the past six hours. The system is currently centred 560 km from Chennai, 660 km from Visakhapatnam, 640 km from Machilipatnam, 630 km from Nellore and 680 km from Ongole. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that it is likely to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by tomorrow morning.
The cyclone is expected to make landfall between Nellore and Narasapuram around midnight on Monday or in the early hours of Tuesday. Authorities have issued a warning asking fishermen not to venture into the sea.
Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema for the next three days. Prakhar Jain, Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), has urged the public to take adequate precautions.