Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to remain on high alert after the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall as Cyclone Murasu moves towards the Andhra Pradesh coast on Monday.
As a precautionary measure, District Collector S Malathi Helan announced the holiday for Chennai schools and colleges on Monday.
Cyclone ‘Murasu’ (war drum), named by India, is “set to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and cross the land in Andhra Pradesh coast with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph between Nellore and Narsapur by morning of November 3,” the IMD said.
Schools and colleges in Chennai are closed today, Monday, November 2, due to heavy rainfall and a precautionary holiday declared for Cyclone Murasu.
The holiday was announced for schools and colleges “for one day only” on Monday, the Chennai District Collector’s official X handle wrote.
Neighbouring Tiruvallur has also declared a holiday for schools as a precaution.
On November 2, heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast at isolated places in Chennai and Tiruvallur, with heavy rain continuing in Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore and the Nilgiris.
The intensity is expected to taper off on November 3, with heavy rain confined to isolated places in the Nilgiris.
“Depression over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands intensified into a deep depression and into the cyclonic storm ‘Murasu’ on Sunday. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over west central Bay of Bengal around November 2 morning,” the RMC said in its weather bulletin. “Thereafter, it is likely to cross south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur in the early hours of November 3.”
The bulletin also said light to moderate rainfall would occur at many places in northern Tamil Nadu, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on November 2 and 3.
The Revenue Administration and Disaster Management Department has directed district collectors across the state to follow standard operating procedures for disaster management.
According to the official communication, the Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Revenue Administration has instructed the district collectors to mobilise all administrative machinery and take adequate preparedness measures.
Authorities have also been asked to maintain strict vigilance and immediately report any untoward incident to the State Emergency Operations Centre.
(With PTI inputs)
