Cyclone Murasu Crosses Andhra Pradesh Coast Bringing Heavy Rains

Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kothapatnam at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, bringing very heavy rainfall to Prakasam and Bapatla districts. The storm made landfall around 20 km from Ongole, helping reduce the overall rainfall deficit in Prakasam district from a little over 64% on November 2 down to 58.6% in a single night.

Rainfall And Landfall

Weather stations in Central Andhra Pradesh and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh recorded around 200 mm of rain within six hours as the storm moved closer to land. Naguluppalapadu recorded a maximum of 198.01 mm of rainfall, followed by Kothapatnam at 182.25 mm. Other areas like Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University in Bapatla district recorded 128.53 mm, Chirala recorded 124.1 mm, Bapatla town recorded 119.75 mm, and Ongole Urban recorded 106 mm. Narsapuram in West Godavari district recorded 109 mm, while West Godavari and Krishna districts received moderate showers.

Warnings And Alerts

The landfall process is expected to continue until 9 a.m., with the storm gradually weakening into a cyclonic storm by noon and a deep depression by Tuesday midnight. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority warned that gale winds of 90 to 100 kmph forced vehicles to stop on a highway near Ongole in the early morning hours, and gale winds may continue in Prakasam and SPSR Nellore districts until noon. Authorities issued a storm surge warning for a 1.0 to 1.5 metre surge above the astronomical tide in low-lying coastal areas of Bapatla and Krishna districts. A red alert remains in place for Tirupati, Nandyal, and Palnadu districts for November 3, 2026, alongside an orange alert for 11 other districts.

Context

Cyclonic storms in the Bay of Bengal frequently affect the eastern coast of India during the post-monsoon season, bringing intense winds and heavy rainfall that can disrupt travel and cause coastal flooding. Weather agencies issue red and orange alerts to warn residents and emergency teams to prepare for severe weather disruptions.