Chennai received heavy overnight rain as Cyclonic Storm Murusu moved north-west over the Bay of Bengal, with the India Meteorological Department forecasting landfall between Nellore and Narasapur in Andhra Pradesh from 11.30 pm on November 2 to 4 am on November 3. Chennai and Tiruvallur districts are under an orange alert for very heavy rain.
The storm was located in the west-central and adjoining south-west Bay of Bengal after moving at 20 kilometres per hour towards the north-west during the previous six hours and strengthening into a severe cyclonic storm, according to the weather department. It was positioned 470 kilometres south of Visakhapatnam, 260 kilometres east-north-east of Chennai, 290 kilometres east-south-east of Nellore and 320 kilometres south-south-east of Machilipatnam.
The system is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm between Nellore and Narasapur. Winds may reach 100 to 110 kilometres per hour during landfall, with gusts of up to 120 kilometres per hour, the India Meteorological Department said.
Rain continued through the night in several parts of Chennai, including Guindy, Nungambakkam, Kodambakkam, Tiruvottiyur, Manali and Ennore. Ennore recorded the highest rainfall in Chennai at 10 centimetres, while Nungambakkam recorded 8.7 centimetres, according to the report. Virudhunagar recorded 8.5 centimetres.
The rainfall is significant for a city where intense spells can quickly affect road traffic, low-lying areas, drainage networks and public transport operations. The report did not provide details of waterlogging, traffic restrictions, power interruptions or municipal response measures, and no such impacts can be confirmed from the available information.
The weather department has forecast very heavy rain in Chennai and Tiruvallur on November 2. Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet and Vellore districts may receive heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. Similar conditions have also been forecast for the Nilgiris, while isolated parts of other Tamil Nadu districts may receive moderate rain.
The immediate weather risk for Chennai is expected to remain linked to the storm’s movement towards the Andhra coast. The next key milestone is the forecast landfall window between late November 2 and early November 3, when authorities and residents will be watching rainfall intensity and wind conditions across northern Tamil Nadu.
