Cyclone Murasu begins making landfall on India's eastern coast

Cyclone Murasu began ​making landfall along ​India's eastern coast ‌early on Tuesday, ​the country's weather department said, the second storm to hit the region ‌in a week as authorities evacuated thousands of people to safety. The India Meteorological Department said the severe cyclonic storm started ‌making landfall at 1:00 a.m. local time (1930 GMT) over ‌the coast of the south-eastern state of Andhra Pradesh.

Authorities began evacuating thousands of people on Monday and planned to move some ⁠30,000 ​to safety ⁠in Andhra Pradesh, which is in the path of the cyclone. Cyclone Murasu ⁠formed over the Bay of Bengal, a major region for ​tropical cyclones that has spawned deadly storms on India's ⁠east coast.

IMD forecasts said the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu ⁠to ​its south would be worst hit. At least six people were killed in Cyclone Arnab, which ⁠was classified by IMD as a very severe cyclonic storm and ⁠made landfall ⁠in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.