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A second cyclone in less than a week was heading towards India’s eastern coast on Monday, with landfall expected overnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Cyclone Murasu is forecast to cross the coast around midnight on Monday or in the early hours of Tuesday, bringing heavy rainfall to Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
The storm is likely to make landfall between Nellore and Narsapur, near the city of Ongole, the IMD said.
“It is very likely to… cross south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of around 100 to 110 kilometres (60 to 70 miles) per hour, gusting 120 kmph,” the weather agency said.
Although Murasu is expected to be weaker in terms of wind speed than its predecessor, it could bring further heavy rainfall to areas already affected by the previous storm.
Cyclone Arnab struck the Andhra Pradesh coast last Wednesday, triggering heavy rain and killing at least three people.
The IMD warned that strong winds could damage thatched houses, tear off rooftops and uproot trees. Standing crops, plantations and orchards could also suffer damage.
Cyclones, known as hurricanes in the North Atlantic and typhoons in the Pacific, are a recurring threat in the Bay of Bengal and the northern Indian Ocean.
The storm season has been intensified by the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has contributed to unprecedented warming and changes in wind, pressure and rainfall patterns worldwide.
