The Department of Meteorology forecasted that the Murasu cyclone over the Bay of Bengal continues to intensify. The Murasu cyclone, which was located over the west-central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, was centred approximately 480 kilometres northeast of Kankesanthurai as of 11.30 pm yesterday. The system is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm within the next few hours and cross the southern Andhra Pradesh coast of India between midnight today and early morning tomorrow.The Department of Meteorology advises naval and fishing communities to refrain from engaging in activities in the sea areas between North latitudes 10 and 17 and East longitudes 80 and 90 until further notice.The department further requests naval and fishing communities to refrain from activities in deep and shallow sea areas from Mannar to Trincomalee via Kankesanthurai until further notice, and advises those currently in these sea areas to return to safe locations immediately.