Cyclone Murasu Crosses Andhra Pradesh Coast, Triggering Heavy Rains and Central Relief Efforts

UPDATE - follow-up to Cyclone Murasu LIVE updates: No loss of life in Andhra Pradesh due to Cyclone Murasu, says NDRF: Severe cyclonic storm Murasu crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole, with its eye making landfall between 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, packing winds of up to 110 kmph and gusts reaching 120 kmph. The rear end of the weather system continues to move north-northwestwards at a speed of 8 kmph and is expected to weaken into a deep depression with wind speeds of up to 75 kmph by midnight.

Damage and Relief

The storm has left a trail of destruction, damaging standing crops across thousands of acres in 15 districts, uprooting thousands of trees, wrecking fishing boats, and snapping hundreds of electric poles. Several thatched houses collapsed in Samatha Nagar in Ongole, where the statue of Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu also fell after a tree crashed into the Collectorate premises. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the Centre's prompt support, while NDRF and SDRF teams are deployed on the ground for rescue operations and road clearing. Meanwhile, the state government launched a dedicated WhatsApp helpline on number 9552300009 via its 'Mana Mitra' platform for citizens to report civic disruptions.

Heavy Rains

Konanki in Martur mandal of Bapatla district recorded the state's highest rainfall at 182.25 mm between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., while Gurijepalli in Prakasam district reached 121 mm. A total of 18 rain gauges across Bapatla, Palnadu, Guntur, Prakasam, and West Godavari districts crossed the 100 mm mark, prompting the IMD to issue flash flood warnings for the coastal belt.

Context

Tropical cyclones like Murasu typically form over warm ocean waters in the Bay of Bengal during the post-monsoon season, bringing intense rainfall and destructive winds upon landfall. Coordinated disaster management efforts by state and central agencies are crucial to minimizing casualties and restoring essential infrastructure after such severe weather events.