Severe Cyclone Murasu makes landfall near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh

Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu began hitting the coast near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh, bringing heavy rain and winds reaching up to 150 kilometres per hour according to the Indian Express. The storm moved at a speed of nine kilometres per hour over the previous six hours. Several districts faced heavy downpours, including West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, Prakasam, and Nellore.

Damage And Response

Thathed houses collapsed and residents were left stranded at Samatha Nagar in Ongole, while houses in Beeramgunta village of Kothapatnam mandal went underwater. Hundreds of trees crashed down across Nellore, Prakasam, and Bapatla districts. A large tree toppled over the statue of Andhra Kesari Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu at the Prakasam Bhavan collectorate grounds, causing it to break. The Real Time Governance Society launched a WhatsApp helpdesk on the number 9552300009 using the 'Mana Mitra' platform so citizens could report issues like uprooted trees and waterlogging.

Official Review

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu led a review meeting with district collectors and officials at 3:30 a.m. to check on storm safety. Officials stated that vote counting for local body elections would take place alongside relief work. Energy department officials told the Chief Minister that electricity poles remained intact and power supply faced no interruptions. Prakhar Jain, the managing director of the State Disaster Management Authority and CEO of the RTGS, called on the public to stay on high alert.

Context

Coastal Andhra Pradesh frequently experiences severe cyclones during the Bay of Bengal storm season, requiring close coordination between state disaster relief agencies and district administrations. Authorities typically focus on evacuations, clearing blocked roads, and maintaining utility services to protect lives in vulnerable areas. Prompt reporting mechanisms help residents connect directly with government disaster response teams.