The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm 'Murasu' on Sunday, prompting the Odisha government to step up preparedness in the southern region of the state.
In its latest bulletin, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclonic storm lay over the southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal at 11.30 am on November 1.
The system was centred near latitude 12.1°N and longitude 85.3°E, approximately 560 km east-southeast of Chennai, 660 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 630 km east-southeast of Nellore.
The cyclone is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over the westcentral Bay of Bengal by the morning of November 2, the IMD said.
It is then expected to move northwestwards and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph, between Nellore and Narsapur during the night of November 2 and the early hours of November 3.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has announced a high alert in the southern region of the state.
Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the government had ordered the evacuation of people from low-lying areas and hilly terrain as part of its preparedness measures.
Director of the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, Manorama Mohanty, said Odisha would receive rainfall from November 2, with the intensity expected to increase on November 3 and 4 under the influence of the cyclone.
'Murasu', meaning war drum, is the name given to the cyclone by India.
