Cyclone Murasu makes landfall near Ongole with heavy rain and winds
The severe cyclonic storm brought wind speeds of up to 120 kmph and triggered large-scale evacuations in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
Severe cyclonic storm Murasu began making landfall near Ongole in Prakasam district in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The landfall process started at approximately 1 am on November 3, according to reports from Deccan Herald and Hindustan Times.
The storm brought heavy rainfall and gale-force winds of 110 kmph, with gusts reaching 120 kmph. The IMD stated that the landfall point was expected to be between Nellore and Narsapur. As of 1:30 am, the cyclone was positioned over the west-central Bay of Bengal, located roughly 40 km southeast of Ongole, 60 km northeast of Kavali, and 70 km south of Bapatla.
In Andhra Pradesh, authorities had already evacuated about 2,000 people from vulnerable coastal areas, with plans to move an additional 30,000 people to safety. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to remain on high alert to manage rescue and relief efforts. The state also dispatched 31,000 electricity poles to assist with potential infrastructure repairs.
Disruptions to travel were reported as at least 30 domestic flights were cancelled across Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Chennai on Monday. Additionally, railway authorities cancelled nine trains as a precaution.
In Odisha, over 1.6 lakh people were evacuated from five districts by Monday evening, with the majority coming from Ganjam. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) were placed on standby.