India news: Cyclone Murasu wreaks havoc after landfall

Severe cyclonic storm 'Murasu' began its landfall close to Ongole in the Prakasam district of the coastal state of Andhra Pradesh during the early hours on Tuesday.

The cyclone, which, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), is currently moving towards the north-northwest, has left a trail of destruction in the region.

Packing strong winds with heavy rains, the cyclone reportedly has uprooted thousands of trees and damaged electric poles and crops in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh.

Schools and colleges have been closed in at least eight districts in Andhra Pradesh as a precautionary measure in view of the heavy rainfall and strong winds.

Heavy spells of rainfall were also likely across south coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 12 hours, IMD said.

The cyclone is currently over the west central Bay of Bengal close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast and is likely to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by noon and further into a deep depression by Tuesday midnight.

Hello! This is Midhat from DW's New Delhi Bureau, bringing you the biggest headlines from India.

After Cyclone Arnab, Cyclone Murasu has brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to the southern state of Andhra Pradesh on the east coast, disrupting life in the region.

Meanwhile, residents are protesting the planned felling of thousands of trees in the city of Karjat in the Maharashtra state on the west coast. A total of 32,000 trees are planned to be cleared for a pumped storage power plant.

At sea, the Indian Navy managed to rescue 20 Iranian crew members from Somali pirates in a coordinated 48-hour operation.

Stay tuned as we bring you more updates from India.