Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu brought 100 mm of rain to Vijayawada on Tuesday, November 3, causing waterlogging on many city roads. The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert until Wednesday morning. Consequently, the District Collector declared a holiday for all schools and colleges to keep students safe from harm.
City receives continuous rain after a prolonged dry spell; red alert remains in force until November 4 morning, schools and colleges to remain closed
While the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) 'Arnab' had little impact on Vijayawada, Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Murasu' brought very heavy rainfall of around 100 mm to the city and its surrounding areas on Tuesday (November 3).
In a first this year, the city experienced continuous rain from the early hours of Tuesday until 8 p.m., with only brief breaks in between. The intensity of rainfall increased after the storm crossed the coast near Ongole between 3.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. and moved northwestwards later in the day. At 2.30 p.m., Murasu, which had weakened into a cyclonic storm, was centred about 80 km southwest of Vijayawada.
According to real-time rainfall data provided by district officials, Ibrahimpatnam recorded 103 mm of rain during the 12-hour period from 8.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vijayawada Rural received 100.8 mm, while various rain gauges in the city recorded around 98 mm. The rainfall brought much-needed relief to the city after a prolonged dry spell.
The heavy rain left several roads waterlogged. The stretch from NTR Circle to the Auto Nagar gate was inundated. Similar conditions prevailed near the Novotel Varun area, Kanuru and the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for the district on Tuesday, which will remain in force until 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday. NTR District Collector G. Lakshmisha declared a holiday for all government and private schools, junior colleges, degree colleges and Anganwadi centres in the district on Wednesday. Parents were advised not to allow children to venture out unless absolutely necessary.
Officials said that if heavy rainfall continued overnight in the catchment areas of the Budameru rivulet, the Velagaleru regulator, which has a capacity of 15,000 cusecs, could receive inflows of 20,000 to 25,000 cusecs by Wednesday morning.
An official in charge of the regulator told The Hindu that there were no inflows as of 6 p.m. on Tuesday and that the situation was being closely monitored. The official said there was no immediate cause for concern.
As a precautionary measure, the Collector instructed officials to shift pregnant women nearing their expected delivery dates and people living in vulnerable areas along hill slopes to rehabilitation centres. Mr. Lakshmisha also urged the public not to believe rumours about possible flooding of the Budameru rivulet.