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Cyclone Murasu: schools shut in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Eluru; red alerts for five Andhra districts
With Cyclone Murasu 260 km from Chennai early on 2 November, schools and colleges were shut in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Eluru. IMD has red alerts for Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam and Nellore, and Telangana has orange and yellow alerts. Landfall is due near Ongole between 11:30 pm and 4 am.
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Schools and colleges were closed on Monday, 2 November, in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Eluru as Cyclone Murasu moved towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. At 2:30 am the severe cyclonic storm was centred about 260 km east-northeast of Chennai. The India Meteorological Department expects it to cross the coast near Ongole, between Nellore and Narsapur, between 11:30 pm on 2 November and 4 am on 3 November, with winds of 100 to 110 km/h, gusting to 120 km/h.
Holidays
The Chennai district collector, S. Malathi Helen, and the Tiruvallur collector, S. Kavitha, declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Monday, announcing it on Sunday night. In Andhra Pradesh, the district administration in Eluru declared a holiday for schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres. The District Education Officer called it a precautionary measure for student and child safety in the face of the storm and the chance of heavy rain. The reports do not say whether other districts have followed.
For Monday, a red alert covers Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam and Nellore. An orange alert covers East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR, Palnadu, Tirupati and Chittoor. For Tuesday, 3 November, a red alert covers Alluri Sitarama Raju, Eluru and NTR, and an orange alert covers Chittoor, Annamayya, Tirupati, Nellore, Prakasam, Palnadu and Vizianagaram. The reports differ slightly on the dates of some alerts.
Telangana has issued orange and yellow rainfall alerts, with an orange alert reported for six districts and a yellow alert for five on 2 November, and heavy rain is forecast from 2 to 4 November. Chennai and Tiruvallur are under an orange alert.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha has told all government machinery to stay on high alert, with heavy to extremely heavy rain likely on Monday and Tuesday. Officials have been told to set up round-the-clock control rooms in all potentially affected districts and to position State and National Disaster Response Force teams in vulnerable districts in advance. Special teams must be ready to clear fallen trees and electricity poles from major roads, and residents of low-lying areas, flood-prone areas and dilapidated houses are to be moved to safer places. Police, fire, revenue, municipal and energy staff are to remain available in the field.
Residents can report problems on the Mana Mitra WhatsApp number 9552300009. The helplines are 112, 1070 and 18004250101, the number of the State Disaster Management Authority. Fishermen have been told not to go to sea.
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