Severe cyclonic storm Murasu makes landfall near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh
The storm brought wind speeds of up to 120 kmph and heavy rain to the coast on Tuesday morning.
The landfall process of Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu began at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh, according to The Hindu. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the storm's maximum sustained wind speeds at the landfall point reached between 110 kmph and 120 kmph.
By 3 a.m., the northern sector's inner spiral band and the wall cloud region had begun moving onto land. P.L.N. Murthy, Head of the Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam, stated the storm was expected to make landfall between Nellore and Narsapur, south of Ongole.
The cyclone is expected to cause a storm surge of 1.5 to 2 metres above the astronomical tide, which may flood low-lying areas in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh. The highest surge is anticipated in Bapatla and parts of the Krishna and Prakasam districts.
In Prakasam district, a vehicle was stranded at Chintala village after a tree fell due to heavy rain and wind. District Revenue Officer B. Venkata Ramana requested that residents stay indoors as heavy winds and rain continue in the district.
The Andhra Pradesh government's Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) has launched a grievance reporting system via the 'Mana Mitra' WhatsApp platform. Residents can report issues like power outages or waterlogging by messaging 9552300009.
Earlier, the Odisha government expedited evacuations on Monday, November 2, as the storm intensified. Additionally, 11 flights at Chennai airport and 10 IndiGo flights from Gannavaram Airport were cancelled due to the weather.