Over 20 flights were cancelled across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Monday as severe cyclonic storm Murasu intensified over the Bay of Bengal, forcing local administrations to launch large-scale evacuation drives and declare holidays for educational institutions.
At least 11 flights were grounded at Chennai Airport, while 10 were cancelled at Vijayawada International Airport due to heavy rain and squally winds. Officials urged travellers to verify flight schedules with respective airlines before heading to airports.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Murasu moved west-northwestwards over the West Central and adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal, positioning itself approximately 120 km east-southeast of Nellore and 160 km northeast of Chennai.
The storm is projected to move northwestwards and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur around midnight, making landfall in the early hours of Tuesday with sustained wind speeds of 100 to 110 kmph, gusting up to 120 kmph.
Authorities along the eastern coast have evacuated thousands of residents from vulnerable areas. Prakhar Jain, a senior official with the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, confirmed that nearly 2,000 people have already been shifted to safer relief shelters.
In Tamil Nadu, administrative heads in Chennai and Tiruvallur declared a holiday for all schools and colleges on Monday. Meanwhile, the IMD issued orange and yellow alerts across 11 districts in Telangana, while Odisha authorities expedited evacuations as the region recovers from the recent impact of Cyclone Arnab. Fishermen have been strictly advised against venturing into the Bay of Bengal until Wednesday.
