Cyclone Murasu is forecast to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur in the early hours of November 3, with winds of 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph, the India Meteorological Department said. The storm grew out of a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday, November 1, and was centred about 350 km east of Chennai as it moved west-northwestwards at 25 kmph.

The name means war drum, and the storm is arriving with little room for error. Residents across three states are now being told to prepare, and the warnings are not routine.

The IMD said the system was expected to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over the West Central Bay of Bengal. Its own bulletin laid out the threat in plain terms.

“Thereafter, it is very likely to move northwestwards and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed of 100 to 110 kmph gusting 120 kmph between Nellore and Narsapur close to Ongole during midnight (2330 Hrs IST) of 2nd to early hours (0400 Hrs IST) of 3rd November, 2026.”

Chennai and Tiruvallur shut schools as rain builds

Chennai and Tiruvallur district collectors announced a holiday for schools and colleges on Monday, November 2, citing heavy rain. Chennai District Collector S. Malathi Helen and Tiruvallur District Collector S. Kavitha made the announcement late on Sunday night.

Rainfall totals were already climbing before the storm arrived. Till 10.30 p.m. on Sunday, Ennore Port recorded 39 mm, Madhavaram 21 mm and Nungambakkam 20.4 mm, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre. Puzhal in Tiruvallur logged 11 mm.

Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran inspected the situation across the city from the ICCC at Ripon Buildings after rain hit through Sunday night into Monday. He also checked the Buckingham Canal at Besant Nagar, where water was standing.

Andhra Pradesh braces for landfall near Ongole

Andhra Pradesh is where the storm will hit hardest, and the state is moving fast. According to the A.P. State Disaster Management Authority, the likely landfall point is Ongole. The state has deployed six National Disaster Response Force teams and seven State Disaster Response Force teams in districts expected to be affected.

Two teams each are stationed in Krishna, Bapatla, Guntur, Nellore and Prakasam. One team each has gone to Markapuram, Palnadu and Tirupati. Additional teams are on standby if needed.

Palnadu District Collector Kritika Shukla has declared a holiday on Tuesday, November 2, for all government and private schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres. The closures signal that officials expect the impact to stretch well past the moment of landfall.

Power is already a concern. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu called Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Sunday to seek help restoring the power network. Naidu asked for manpower and machinery because a large number of power poles were damaged by the cyclone. Vijay has reportedly responded positively.

Telangana farmers and residents face orange alerts

Telangana is not in the storm’s direct path, but the rain is reaching the state. The IMD has issued an orange alert for six Telangana districts and a yellow alert for five more for Monday, November 2. The forecast rain runs from Monday through Wednesday, November 2 to 4.

That forecast is alarming for farmers. Paddy and cotton crops in several districts are at different stages of cultivation, and growers are worried about losses just as market prices are high. Each extra day of heavy rain raises the risk of standing crops being flattened or waterlogged.

Telangana residents in the orange alert zones should expect disruption, and farmers should move quickly to protect what they can.

What residents should do now

Anyone facing a cyclone-related problem can report it to officials through the Mana Mitra WhatsApp Governance service at 95523 00009. For emergencies and information, the Disaster Management Authority’s toll-free numbers are 112, 1070 and 18004250101.

The storm has not yet made landfall, and the warnings are tightening by the hour. Families in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, residents of Chennai and Tiruvallur, and farmers in the Telangana alert zones have the least time to get ready. Keep phones charged, follow official updates, and do not wait for the wind to arrive before acting.