Cyclone Murasu crosses Andhra coast near Ongole; heavy rain lashes six districts

The severe cyclonic storm Murasu crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole between 3.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, and is expected to weaken into a cyclonic storm by noon, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

According to IMD officials, the landfall process continued until 8.30 a.m. The system is now moving north-northwestwards at a speed of about 8 kmph. At 10.30 a.m., the storm's centre was located 30 km from Ongole, 40 km west-southwest of Bapatla, 90 km north of Kavali and 100 km south-southwest of Vijayawada.

Winds during landfall were recorded at 110 kmph to 120 kmph. The IMD expects the system to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm, with wind speeds easing to 80–90 kmph, gusting to 100 kmph, by noon. It may weaken further into a deep depression by Tuesday night.

Heavy spells of rainfall are likely to continue over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 12 hours, the department said. At present, the districts of NTR, Krishna, West Godavari, Palnadu, Guntur and Prakasam are receiving rain.

Data from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) show that between 8.30 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Gurijepalli in Prakasam district recorded 48.5 mm of rain, Addanki in Prakasam district recorded 44 mm, and Nandigama in NTR district recorded 44 mm.

Under the IMD's classification, a severe cyclonic storm is one with wind speeds of 89 to 117 kmph, while a cyclonic storm ranges between 62 and 88 kmph and a deep depression between 50 and 61 kmph. Landfall refers to the point at which the centre of a storm crosses the coastline from the sea to land. Storms of this intensity typically bring strong winds that can uproot trees and damage thatched structures, and heavy rain that can cause localised flooding and waterlogging in low-lying areas.

Residents in the affected districts are advised to remain alert to local advisories, avoid venturing near the coast and stay away from trees, electrical poles and weak structures during strong winds. Fishermen have been cautioned against going to sea while the system remains active, in line with standard practice during cyclonic conditions.

Andhra Pradesh's coastal districts have seen repeated cyclonic activity in recent years, and the state's disaster management machinery is routinely deployed during such events. The IMD issues periodic bulletins on the storm's position, intensity and forecast track, and these updates are used by district administrations to decide on relief and evacuation measures.

The department is expected to issue further updates through the day as the system moves inland and loses strength.