Odisha speeds up evacuation as severe cyclone Murasu heads for Andhra coast

UPDATE - follow-up to Cyclone Murasu LIVE updates: Odisha expedites evacuation from vulnerable areas as storm intensifies: The Odisha government has sped up the evacuation of residents from vulnerable locations as cyclone Murasu intensified into a severe storm in the Bay of Bengal.

Landfall Details

The India Meteorological Department stated the system is moving northwestwards and will cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole, between Nellore and Narsapur. Landfall is expected between 11.30 p.m. on Monday and 4 a.m. on Tuesday, bringing wind speeds of 100 to 110 kmph gusting up to 120 kmph.

Official Actions

Odisha Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari announced that southern districts including Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri are on high alert. More than 300 rescue teams from the NDRF, ODRAF and Odisha Fire Service remain pre-positioned in the state.

Context

Coastal states in India routinely face severe cyclonic storms during the northeast monsoon season, requiring extensive pre-positioning of disaster relief forces and rapid evacuations to prevent loss of life. Meteorological agencies track these depressions closely in the Bay of Bengal to issue timely coastal warnings before landfall.