Cyclone Murasu hits Andhra coast as heavy rain and strong winds surge inland

Cyclone Murasu made landfall near Kothapatnam, close to Ongole in Andhra Pradesh at around 1 a.m. on November 3, 2026. The storm brought extremely heavy rain and winds reported up to 150 km/h by the Indian Express, while the IMD noted gale‑force winds of 100‑110 km/h gusting to 120 km/h. ## Weather Details The IMD said the outer spiral band entered the southern coast and the inner band moved into the northern sector, with a wall cloud close to the shoreline. A storm surge is expected to hit low‑lying areas, especially Bapatla, Krishna and Prakasam districts. Rainfall measurements at 1 a.m. showed 18 mm in Ongole and 74.7 mm in Kothapatnam, with moderate rains spreading across Krishna district. ## Impact Hundreds of trees were uprooted across Nellore, Prakasam and Bapatla districts. Several low‑lying zones were inundated, but power supply remained intact as electricity poles withstood the gusts. No power poles have fallen, according to the electricity department. ## Response Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with district collectors at 3:30 a.m. to review the situation and instructed officials to keep people off roads until debris is cleared. Officials expect the cyclone to cross the coast by 6:30 a.m. Residents can call Mana Mitra at 9552300009 for assistance or to report emergencies. ## Context Coastal cyclones regularly bring storm surges and heavy rain to South Coastal Andhra Pradesh, making quick evacuations and power resilience crucial.