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Cyclone Murasu, which formed over the Bay of Bengal, made landfall on India’s Andhra Pradesh coast early Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour.
The cyclone completed its landfall process near Ongole in the state around dawn, raising fears of heavy rainfall, storm surges and flooding in coastal areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the landfall process began around 1:00 am local time. The cyclone crossed the coast between Nellore and Narsapur, near Ongole, between 3:30 am and 5:30 am.
At the time of landfall, the system packed sustained winds of 100-110 kmph, with gusts reaching 120 kmph.
According to the IMD, the cyclone was moving north-northwestwards at around 8 kmph. It was expected to weaken into a cyclonic storm by Tuesday afternoon and further downgrade into a deep depression by night.
Heavy rainfall and strong winds were likely to continue across southern coastal Andhra Pradesh until Tuesday morning, the weather office warned.
The IMD also forecast a storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide, which could inundate low-lying areas of Bapatla, Krishna and Prakasam districts.
Meanwhile, NTR district collector Lakshmisha said no major problems had been reported in the district so far due to the cyclone.
However, several families in the Moghalrajpuram area were moved to safe shelters as a precaution against possible landslides.
Urging residents to remain alert in view of the forecast of heavy rainfall, the collector advised people to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and ensure the safety of children.