Severe Cyclone Murasu Batters Eastern India With 120 Kmph Winds and Heavy Rain

Cyclone Murasu made landfall along India's eastern coast early Tuesday morning, bringing wind gusts of up to 120 kilometers per hour and torrential rainfall to Andhra Pradesh. The severe cyclonic storm crossed the coast near Ongole in the Prakasam district between 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. local time on November 3.[1][2]

The storm marks the second severe cyclone to batter the region in less than a week, compounding an already dire situation for coastal communities. It arrives just days after Cyclone Arnab struck the same coastline, an event that killed at least five people and inundated roughly 200,000 acres of cropland.[1]

"Heavy rains fell Tuesday in eastern India after the second cyclone to hit the area in a week prompted evacuations of thousands of people," wrote reporter Omer Farooq in a dispatch carried by The Washington Post.[1]

The India Meteorological Department confirmed that Murasu made landfall with maximum sustained winds of 100 to 110 kilometers per hour. The agency had been tracking the system as it formed over the warm waters of the Bay of Bengal, a region known for spawning deadly storms.[1][2]

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Mass Evacuations and Preparations

Ahead of Murasu's arrival, authorities preemptively closed schools, halted train services, and suspended some flights in vulnerable areas. Disaster response teams deployed across multiple districts to manage the anticipated fallout and assist with mass evacuations.[1][3]

In neighboring Odisha state, the government shifted more than 150,000 people to safety as the storm approached. Officials stepped up preparedness measures in vulnerable southern districts to mitigate the potential impact of heavy rain and gusty winds.[3]

The high-speed winds and heavy rainfall immediately disrupted daily life across the affected districts in Andhra Pradesh. Thousands of trees were uprooted, and hundreds of electricity poles were damaged, plunging numerous coastal villages into darkness.[1][2]

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu estimated that up to 8,000 electricity poles could be damaged by the storm. He warned that the destruction posed a severe threat to the regional power supply and directed officials to prioritize immediate restoration efforts.[2]

Infrastructure and Agricultural Damage

Coastal areas bore the brunt of the deluge, with Kothapatnam in the Prakasam district recording over 16 centimeters of rainfall by early Tuesday. Other nearby towns, including Naguluppalapadu and Chirala, also reported double-digit rainfall totals within a 24-hour period.[2]

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The meteorological department warned that storm surges of up to 1.5 meters could continue to inundate low-lying coastal areas. Seawater was projected to push hundreds of meters inland in the hardest-hit mandals, threatening homes and agricultural fields.[1][2]

Residents of the coastal villages recounted their ordeal as the cyclone swept through the region, damaging houses, boats, and other property. For many fishing communities, the destruction of their vessels represents a catastrophic loss of livelihood.[1][2]

One local fisherman noted the severity of the back-to-back storms, calling it the most dangerous cyclone the region had witnessed in 14 years. The government's preemptive evacuation of around 400 families from his village likely prevented significant casualties.[2]

Inland Trajectory and Flooding Risks

Vehicular movement was severely disrupted, with vehicles stranded on national highways as heavy rain and strong winds reduced visibility. Fallen trees and damaged infrastructure made driving nearly impossible for emergency responders and fleeing residents alike.[1][2]

The meteorological department expects Murasu to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by Tuesday afternoon. It is forecast to degrade further into a deep depression by midnight as it moves inland toward the neighboring state of Telangana.[2]

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Despite the storm's weakening, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is forecast to persist across isolated locations in coastal Andhra Pradesh throughout Tuesday. Authorities have warned that the continued downpour could cause severe flooding in low-lying areas and further disruptions to daily life.[1][2]

The Bay of Bengal's warm waters have historically fueled some of the deadliest cyclones to hit eastern India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The rapid succession of Arnab and Murasu underscores the region's vulnerability to intensifying weather patterns.[1][2]

Strained Disaster Response

The back-to-back cyclones have placed an immense strain on regional disaster response resources. State governments are now tasked with managing simultaneous recovery operations for both Cyclone Arnab and Cyclone Murasu.[1][3]

The central government has been briefed on the situation, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah inquiring about the damage and ongoing relief measures. State officials have requested federal assistance to help recover from the compounding calamities.[2][3]

The full financial cost of the agricultural and infrastructure damage remains uncalculated as rescue teams access remote coastal villages. The immediate focus remains on clearing roads, restoring power, and ensuring the safety of those displaced by the storm.[1][2]