Cyclone Murasu moves toward Andhra coast as northern districts record early rain

UPDATE - follow-up to Rain begins in north Andhra ahead of Cyclone Murasu; red-alert districts still dry: Cyclone Murasu has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal and is moving west-northwestwards at 22 kmph toward the Andhra Pradesh coast.

Rainfall and Landfall

North coastal Andhra Pradesh has seen its first rain, far from the expected landfall zone. Kakinada (Rural) mandal recorded 51.75 mm between 8.30 a.m. and noon on Monday, according to APDES data. Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts also received rainfall, with Bhogapuram recording 102.49 mm in the 24 hours leading up to 8.30 a.m. Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam recorded 12.5 mm at Gambheeram. Central and south coastal districts on red alert remained dry on Monday morning, with Ongole yet to record rain by 10 a.m. According to the India Meteorological Department, the severe cyclonic storm is likely to cross the coast near Ongole between 11.30 p.m. on Monday and 4 a.m. on Tuesday, with wind speeds expected between 100 and 110 kmph.

Official Action and Wider Impact

Officials from the A.P. State Disaster Management Authority state that the landfall could occur anywhere between Narsapur and Nellore. Prakhar Jain, managing director of the authority, stated that about 2,000 people have been evacuated so far, with plans to evacuate around 30,000 people. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force from Tamil Nadu have been deployed to Andhra Pradesh for rescue operations. In neighboring Tamil Nadu, northern districts like Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur experienced continuous torrential rainfall since Sunday night, prompting school closures in Chennai and flight cancellations at Chennai Airport.

Context

Tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal frequently bring heavy rainfall and destructive winds to India's eastern coastline during the post-monsoon season. Meteorologists track these systems closely using radar and satellite data to estimate landfall timing and wind intensity. Timely evacuations and the deployment of disaster response teams are standard precautionary measures to minimize loss of life in vulnerable coastal areas.