Cyclone Murasu strengthened into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal early Monday, prompting school and college closures across multiple districts in Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

The India Meteorological Department reported that the system, which formed from a deep depression on Sunday, moved west-northwestward and intensified further. As of early Monday, it was centered about 260 kilometers east-northeast of Chennai, with forecasts showing it would cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole between midnight Monday and early Tuesday as a severe cyclonic storm with winds of 100 to 110 kilometers per hour, gusting to 120 kilometers per hour.

Chennai and Tiruvallur district collectors announced holidays for all schools and colleges on Monday as a precaution against heavy to very heavy rainfall. Orange alerts were issued for those districts, signaling the potential for 12 to 20 centimeters of rain in 24 hours. Similar closures were ordered in Malkangiri district of Odisha through Wednesday.

The storm follows closely after Cyclone Arnab struck the region less than a week earlier, complicating ongoing relief efforts in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. State administrations in Tamil Nadu directed district collectors to stay on high alert, mobilize emergency teams, and monitor the situation closely.

Additional alerts included an orange warning for six Telangana districts and yellow alerts for five others on Monday. The Regional Meteorological Centre forecast heavy rainfall across northern Tamil Nadu districts through Tuesday.

Residents in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh prepared for evacuations from low-lying zones, while Odisha officials reviewed reservoir management and opened gates at Hirakud dam in anticipation of inflows.