In brief
Elevated cyclone Murasu forced airlines to cancel flights in Chennai and Vijayawada, while authorities advised fishermen to stay out of the sea. Thousands were evacuated and schools were closed amid heavy rain threats. The storm’s path and final impact remain uncertain as it prepares to make landfall.
More than twenty flights were cancelled across the southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on Monday as the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into severe cyclonic storm Murasu, according to officials cited by Xinhua and local news outlets. The cancellations began in Chennai’s international hub, where at least 11 flights were grounded, and continued at Vijayawada International Airport, which halted 10 flights.
IndiGo’s own report confirms the ten‑flight cancellation at Vijayawada’s Gannavaram Airport, with additional operations disrupted at Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam. Airlines have urged passengers to check flight status with the carrier before heading to the airport. An extended list of cancellations also emerged for other regional airports, though the exact total is unreported.
Weather Outlook and Official Warnings
According to the India Meteorological Department, Murasu is currently centered about 120 km southeast of Nellore and 160 km northeast of Chennai. The storm has reached a wind speed range of 100–110 kmph, with gusts up to 120 kmph between Nellore and Narsapur expected at midnight. A likely northwestward trajectory would see the cyclone cross the South Andhra Pradesh coast with a potential landfall in the early hours of Tuesday, the IMD added.
The department has issued orange alerts for six districts and yellow alerts for five districts in Telangana, warning of adverse weather conditions. In addition, fishermen in the southeastern Bay of Bengal and the southwestern Bay of Bengal have been advised not to venture into the sea until Wednesday. Local authorities in Odisha have accelerated the evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas following the cyclonic threat.
Evacuations and School Closures
Prakhar Jain, a senior official of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, reported that approximately 2,000 people have been evacuated along the eastern coast, a process that is still underway. The administration of Tamil Nadu’s Chennai and Tiruvallur districts declared holidays for all schools and colleges on Monday, following a forecast of heavy rainfall. Similar measures have been reported in neighboring states, including Odisha, where the death toll from the earlier cyclone Arnab rose to six with ten missing people.
Evacuation efforts also involved the relocation of residents from low‑lying areas, although the number of those moved is not fully documented. The coordination between state agencies and local communities remains ongoing as officials assess the evolving threat.
Impact on Sea‑Based Activities
Beyond the flight cancellations, the IMD’s advisories have called on fishermen to refrain from entering the sea until the cyclonic system passes, citing dangerous wind speeds and potential undertow. The advisories cover the southeastern and southwestern Bay of Bengal, areas that have historically faced losses during strong storm events.
The storm’s rapid intensification has been noted by both national and regional news sources, prompting a series of precautionary steps by state governments. Schools have shut, flights grounded, and fishermen held at bay, underscoring the widespread intent to mitigate harm.
Unresolved Issues and Pending Developments
While the current number of flight cancellations is clear, the full extent of route disruptions across India’s aviation network remains undetermined. Similarly, the exact number of evacuees, especially in unreported villages, has not been finalized.
The timings and areas of maximum impact are still to be confirmed. Both the IMD and local authorities have yet to release a detailed post‑landfall assessment of damage or casualties. The final path of Cyclone Murasu within the next 24 hours, as it moves toward the coast, is monitored but still uncertain.
In addition, the decision to delay or cancel further flights beyond the first wave remains pending, as airlines await updated weather data and governmental guidance. The possibility of further evacuations and additional closures for schools and colleges also hangs in the balance.
Thus, while substantial information exists about the initial cancellations, advisories, and evacuations, several aspects of Cyclone Murasu’s potential severity, impact zone, and subsequent responses remain open questions awaiting official clarification.
