The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for several north Tamil Nadu districts as cyclonic storm Murasu approaches. Heavy rainfall and gusty winds are expected on Monday. Schools and colleges in Chennai and Tiruvallur will remain closed. The storm should cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast late Monday night.
CHENNAI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, Vellore and the Nilgiris, as cyclonic storm Murasu is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast late on Monday night.
North TN districts and ghat areas may witness heavy to very heavy rainfall, along with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, on Monday, the IMD said.
Schools and colleges in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts will remain closed on Monday in view of the heavy rainfall forecast.
In a bulletin issued on Sunday, the IMD said Murasu was centred about 480 km east-southeast of Chennai over the Bay of Bengal. It is likely to continue moving west-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by Monday morning. It is then expected to turn northwestwards and cross the coast between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole, between 11.30 pm on Monday and 4 am on Tuesday. During the landfall period, the cyclone is predicted to bring sustained wind speeds of 100 to 110 kmph, with powerful gusts reaching up to 120 kmph.
Squally winds of 55-65 kmph, gusting to 75 kmph, have also been forecast at several places in Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram districts and Puducherry throughout the day.