Hyderabad: Cyclone Murasu is moving rapidly towards the Andhra Pradesh coast after a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm. The Meteorological Department has issued severe warnings for the south coastal areas and the north Tamil Nadu coast.
The department forecast that the system would intensify further over the next 24 hours. It expected the storm to become a severe cyclonic storm by Monday morning. It is likely to move northwestwards and cross the coast between Nellore and Narsapur between 11.30 pm and 4 am on Monday. Officials estimate that winds will gust to 100 kmph and reach a maximum of 120 kmph at landfall.
The department said the cyclone will bring rain to Telangana for five days. Rain is likely in all areas, including Hyderabad, on Monday.
Rainfall recorded across Telangana in 24 hours
Many places in the state received moderate rainfall in the last 24 hours. Keesara in Medchal-Malkajgiri district recorded the highest, at 9.68 cm. Tadwai in Mulugu district followed with 9.02 cm, and Pochampally in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district recorded 7.60 cm.
Nelakondapalli in Khammam district recorded 7.57 cm, and Chitiya in Nalgonda district recorded 7.08 cm. Narkatpalli received 7.0 cm. Ramannapet recorded 6.83 cm, Bibinagar 6.61 cm and Valigonda 6.52 cm. Bahadurpur in Hyderabad district received 5.99 cm.
Temperatures are running 2 degrees above normal. Nalgonda district recorded the highest reading, at 36.9 degrees.