Severe Cyclone Murasu Nears Andhra Coast With Strong Winds and Heavy Rain

UPDATE - follow-up to Cyclone Murasu Live updates: Heavy rain lashes Konaseema as cyclone Murasu nears Andhra coast: Severe cyclonic storm Murasu is set to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast overnight, bringing winds of up to 120 kmph and very heavy rainfall to coastal regions, Yanam, and Rayalaseema.

Landfall and Weather Impacts

Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre Head P.L.N. Murthy stated that the storm will make landfall between Nellore and Narsapur, south of Ongole, between late night on November 2 and early morning on November 3, 2026. Wind speeds are expected to reach 100 to 110 kmph with gusts up to 120 kmph. A storm surge of about 1.5 to 2 metres is very likely to flood low-lying areas, with peak surge expected in Bapatla and parts of Krishna and Prakasam districts. The Andhra Pradesh government has placed five districts on high alert, including Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, SPSR Nellore, and Prakasam. Meanwhile, the Odisha government expedited evacuations from vulnerable areas, and the NDRF deployed 14 teams across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Transport and Safety Measures

At least 19 domestic flights were cancelled across Vijayawada, Tirupati, and Visakhapatnam airports. Vijayawada Airport director M Lakshmi Kantha Reddy reported 10 cancellations by IndiGo and two by Air India Express, while GMR Group officials confirmed four cancellations at Visakhapatnam, and Tirupati Airport director D Boominathan noted IndiGo flight cancellations to Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Bengaluru. In Tirumala, TTD Additional Executive Officer Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary directed officials to step up safety measures for pilgrims. Additionally, the Andhra Pradesh government launched a WhatsApp grievance reporting mechanism at the number 9552300009 through its 'Mana Mitra' platform for citizens to report emergencies like power outages, uprooted trees, and waterlogging.

Context

Tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal frequently intensify during the post-monsoon season, bringing destructive winds and storm surges to India's eastern coastline. State disaster management authorities and specialised response forces routinely coordinate pre-landfall evacuations and infrastructure checks to minimise casualties in vulnerable districts.