Cyclone Michaung | As Andhra Pradesh prepares for landfall, coastal Tamil Nadu braces for heavy rain.

The Met Office predicts that a depression will develop into Cyclone Michaung by December 4, with landfall in Andhra Pradesh on December 5; preparations for rescue, relief, and evacuation efforts are underway.

As a deep depression intensified over the Bay of Bengal, moving northwest and likely to evolve into Cyclone Michaung by December 3 morning, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu prepared for heavy rainfall in their coastal districts. Winds of 80 to 90 kmph with gusts of up to 100 kmph are expected, according to the India Meteorological Department on December 2.

Disaster relief efforts are underway along the coast, with state and national teams on the ground and naval forces in the region on standby. Fishermen have been advised not to go out to sea, and 144 trains have been cancelled. In Andhra Pradesh, relief camps are being established, and plans are being made to evacuate coastal areas if necessary.

On December 2, 2023, fishermen at Jalaripeta fishing colony in Visakhapatnam relocate their boats to safety in anticipation of Cyclone Michaung.

The storm made landfall on December 5th. Deep depression prevailed over the southwest Bay of Bengal in December, about 420 kilometres southeast of Chennai. The cyclonic storm is expected to reach the waters off southern Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu by December 4 morning, and then move parallel to the coast, making landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam a day later, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai.