Cyclone Murasu: Chennai, Tiruvallur schools declare rain holiday on Nov 2 amid orange alert

CHENNAI: The Chennai and Tiruvallur district administrations have declared a holiday for all schools in their respective districts on Monday (November 2) as a precautionary measure in view of Cyclone Murasu. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has issued an orange alert for Chennai and Tiruvallur districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall across several northern Tamil Nadu districts over the next two days, as Cyclone Murasu moves towards the Andhra Pradesh coast.

Collectors directed to remain on high alert

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Revenue Administration and Disaster Management Department has directed district collectors across the State to remain on high alert and follow standard operating procedures for disaster management.

The Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Revenue Administration has instructed collectors to mobilise administrative machinery and take adequate preparedness measures. Officials have also been asked to maintain strict vigilance and immediately report any untoward incidents to the State Emergency Operations Centre.

Cyclone Murasu 480 km from Chennai

According to the IMD's latest bulletin issued at 9.14 pm on Sunday, Cyclone Murasu was moving west-northwestwards at a speed of 27 kmph over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal.

At 2.30 pm on November 1, the system was centred about 480 km east-southeast of Chennai, 550 km east-southeast of Nellore, 560 km southeast of Machilipatnam, 600 km southeast of Ongole and 610 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam.

The weather department said the cyclone is very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal around the morning of November 2. 

It is then expected to move northwestwards and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur as a severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph, between 11.30 pm on November 2 and 4 am on November 3.

Orange and yellow alerts for Tamil Nadu districts

In its rainfall warning bulletin, the RMC has issued an orange alert for Tiruvallur on November 1 and for Chennai and Tiruvallur on November 2, indicating the possibility of very heavy rainfall (12-20 cm in 24 hours).

A yellow alert was issued for Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet and the Nilgiris on November 1, with heavy rainfall likely (7-11 cm).

On November 2, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore and the Nilgiris are under a yellow alert for heavy rainfall. On November 3, the warning is confined to isolated heavy rainfall over the Nilgiris.

The RMC has also warned of thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds of 40-50 kmph at one or two places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kraikal on November 1 and 2. The warning continues for isolated places until November 5.

Squally winds likely across northern Tamil Nadu

The weather department has forecast squally winds reaching 55-65 kmph, gusting up to 75 kmph, at isolated places in Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram districts, as well as Puducherry, on November 1 and 2.

Winds reaching 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, are also likely at isolated places across the remaining north coastal Tamil Nadu districts.

Meanwhile, explaining the impact of the cyclone on moisture conditions, easterly winds, and rainfall activity, weather blogger Pradeep John, popularly known as Tamil Nadu Weatherman, told DT Next: "Cyclone Arnab had cut off the easterly winds, resulting in dry weather in northern Tamil Nadu and other parts of the State. However, Cyclone Murasu has not disrupted the easterly winds. As the severe cyclonic storm is expected to make landfall near Nellore, rainfall activity is likely to continue across the State over the next few days."