Cyclone Alert / Cyclone Murasu nears Andhra coast, yellow alert for five Odisha districts

Bhubaneswar, Nov 2: Severe Cyclone Murasu over the west-central Bay of Bengal continues its west-northwestward movement towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, prompting weather authorities to issue a Yellow Alert for five districts in southern Odisha amid forecasts of heavy rainfall and gusty winds.

According to the latest weather assessment, the cyclone has been moving at a speed of around 22 kmph during the past six hours and is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole.

The landfall process is likely to occur between 11:30 pm on Sunday and 4:00 am on November 3.

At the time of landfall, the cyclone is expected to pack sustained wind speeds of 100-110 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 120 kmph. Meteorologists have indicated that the system is likely to gradually weaken after entering the landmass.

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While Odisha is not expected to face the cyclone's direct impact, its peripheral influence is likely to trigger widespread rainfall across several parts of the state.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast light to moderate rain at many places over the next 24 hours, with some districts in southern Odisha likely to experience heavy precipitation.

A Yellow Alert has been issued for Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts, where one or two places may receive heavy rainfall ranging from 7 cm to 12 cm. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph are also likely in isolated areas.

Authorities have advised residents in vulnerable regions to remain cautious and closely follow official weather updates. Due to expected rough sea conditions, fishermen have been strongly advised not to venture into the sea between November 2 and November 4.

Meanwhile, Local Cautionary Signal Number 3 (LC-3) has been hoisted at ports as a precautionary measure. Weather experts have indicated that rainfall activity will significantly decrease from November 5, after which no major weather warnings are currently expected for Odisha.