Cyclone Murasu hits Andhra Pradesh coast with 120 kmph winds
The severe cyclonic storm caused extensive damage to crops, trees, and electricity infrastructure after making landfall near Ongole on Tuesday.
Severe cyclonic storm Murasu crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole between 3.30 am and 5.30 am on Tuesday, according to reports from Urban Acres and The Tribune. The storm brought wind speeds of 100-110 kmph with gusts reaching 120 kmph.
The cyclone caused significant destruction in districts including Bapatla and Prakasam. Thousands of trees were uprooted, hundreds of electric poles were damaged, and fishing boats were wrecked. Heavy rainfall led to inundation in many areas and damaged standing crops.
In Prakasam district, a fisherman named Krishnamma from Kothapatnam said the government and NDRF teams helped evacuate around 400 families from his village. Another resident, Mangamma, stated that while the government evacuated her family before landfall, one of her three boats was completely destroyed.
The storm disrupted vehicular movement on national highways due to poor visibility and gusty winds. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had previously forecast that the system would impact roads, electricity networks, and telecommunications in Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.
The IMD expects the severe cyclonic storm to weaken into a cyclonic storm by noon on Tuesday and further into a deep depression by midnight. Coastal Andhra Pradesh is expected to see light to moderate rainfall at most places, with extremely heavy rainfall possible at isolated locations.