Severe Cyclone Murasu Makes Landfall in Andhra Pradesh With Heavy Rains and High-Speed Winds

Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu began crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kothapatnam and Ongole at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, bringing winds reaching up to 150 km per hour and very heavy overnight rainfall across several districts.

Impact And Relief

The storm caused thatched houses to collapse and stranded residents in Samatha Nagar within Ongole, prompting the district administration to launch rescue operations. A statue of Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu inside the Prakasam district Collectorate fell after a large tree was uprooted by the fierce weather. Heavy rains also waterlogged major thoroughfares in Vijayawada, including Bandar Road and Polyclinic Road, while hundreds of trees were uprooted across Nellore, Prakasam, and Bapatla. The heavy downpour notably reduced the rainfall deficit in Prakasam district from over 64% down to 58.6% in a single night.

Official Response

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu held a review meeting at 3.30 a.m. with district Collectors, directing them to keep residents off the roads and prevent any loss of life or property damage. Officials reported that energy infrastructure largely withstood the gales, with no power poles falling and no disruptions to electricity supplies. Meanwhile, the Real Time Governance Society launched a WhatsApp grievance platform at number 9552300009 for citizens to report emergencies like waterlogging and uprooted trees. NTR District Collector Lakshmi Sha inspected the Budameru area, relocated families from Mogalrajapuram due to landslide fears, and asked all local shops to remain closed for the day. Prakhar Jain, SDMA Managing Director and RTGS CEO, also urged widespread public alertness.

Context

Coastal Andhra Pradesh frequently experiences severe cyclonic storms originating over the Bay of Bengal during the northeast monsoon season. District disaster management authorities coordinate round-the-clock relief operations with state agencies during these weather events to minimize casualties and restore civic services quickly.