Indian authorities began evacuating residents along the country’s eastern coast on Monday as Cyclone Murasu approached, with the severe storm expected to make landfall early on Tuesday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast that the cyclone would hit the coast in the early hours of Tuesday, bringing the threat of heavy rain and strong winds to vulnerable communities.
Around 2,000 people had been evacuated by Monday, with preparations under way to move a further 30,000, Prakhar Jain, managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, told Reuters.
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu brace for impact
The IMD said the southern coastal states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were expected to bear the brunt of the storm.
Murasu formed over the Bay of Bengal, a major breeding ground for tropical cyclones that frequently threaten India's eastern coastline.
Authorities are moving quickly to reduce the risk to residents, particularly in areas still dealing with the aftermath of last week’s Cyclone Arnab.
Communities still recovering from deadly cyclone
Murasu is forecast to be less intense than Arnab, which killed six people and destroyed dozens of homes and crops.
The latest evacuation effort comes as emergency services seek to limit further casualties and damage in a region repeatedly exposed to powerful tropical storms.
