Cyclone Murasu triggers flight cancellations and severe wind gusts as landfall begins near Ongole

UPDATE - follow-up to Cyclone Murasu Live updates: Landfall commences over south coastal Andhra Pradesh: The landfall process of Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu commenced at 1 a.m. on Tuesday near Ongole, bringing maximum sustained winds of 110 kmph to 120 kmph.

Impact and Disruptions

At least 19 domestic flights were cancelled at Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam airports, alongside eleven flights at Chennai and ten IndiGo flights from Gannavaram Airport. Heavy rain and strong winds caused a statue of Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu at Prakasam Bhavan in Ongole to collapse after a tree fell on it. A vehicle was stranded at Chintala village between Ongole and Kothapatnam due to an uprooted tree, prompting a special rescue team deployment.

Relief Measures

The Odisha government expedited evacuations from vulnerable areas, while Karnataka sent a support team to aid relief and restoration. The Andhra Pradesh government launched a dedicated WhatsApp grievance platform at 9552300009 through its 'Mana Mitra' system for reporting emergencies like power outages, collapsed walls, and waterlogging.

Context

Cyclonic storms regularly form over the Bay of Bengal during the northeast monsoon season, bringing gale-force winds and torrential rains to India's eastern coast. Governments and meteorological agencies track these systems closely to coordinate evacuations and emergency response before they cross the shore.