Cyclone Murasu makes landfall in Andhra Pradesh bringing heavy rain
The severe cyclonic storm crossed the coast near Ongole early Tuesday with wind speeds reaching 120 kmph.
Severe cyclonic storm Murasu made landfall along the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole in Prakasam district at approximately 1 am on Tuesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The storm brought sustained wind speeds of 100-110 kmph, with gusts reaching 120 kmph, as reported by The Hindu and Hindustan Times.
The cyclone's landfall occurred between Nellore and Narsapur, south of Ongole. A storm surge of 1.5-2 metres above the astronomical tide was expected to inundate low-lying areas of South Coastal Andhra Pradesh, particularly in Bapatla and parts of Krishna and Prakasam districts.
In response to the storm, Andhra Pradesh authorities had planned to move approximately 30,000 people to safer locations, with around 2,000 already evacuated from vulnerable coastal areas. In Odisha, over 1.6 lakh people were evacuated from five districts by Monday evening, with Ganjam accounting for 1.5 lakh of those moved.
Disruptions to transport were reported as at least 30 domestic flights were cancelled across Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Chennai airports. Additionally, railway authorities cancelled nine trains as a precautionary measure.
To assist with disaster management, the Andhra Pradesh government's Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) launched a grievance reporting mechanism via the 'Mana Mitra' WhatsApp platform. Residents can report issues such as power outages or waterlogging by messaging 9552300009.
Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh to lead rescue and relief efforts. Meanwhile, the administration in Rayagada, Odisha, enhanced preparedness by stationing 11 fire station teams and heavy machinery at strategic locations.