Families moved to relief camps and 19 flights cancelled as IMD warns of heavy rain and a storm surge of up to 1.5 metres along south coastal Andhra Pradesh
Severe cyclonic storm Murasu completed its landfall on the south Andhra Pradesh coast early on Tuesday, the state disaster management authority said. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the storm crossed between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole in Prakasam district, between 3.30am and 5.30am, with sustained winds of 100–110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph. The landfall process had begun at around 1am.
Heavy rain and strong winds battered the Kothapatnam beach area near Ongole, while trees were uprooted in the Chirala region. The IMD forecast heavy spells of rain along the south coast over the next 12 hours and warned of a storm surge of 1–1.5 metres above the astronomical tide, with the highest surge expected over Bapatla, Krishna and Prakasam districts.
In Vijayawada, overnight rain waterlogged major roads, including Bandar Road and Polyclinic Road. NTR district authorities moved some families to relief camps as a precaution against possible landslides in Mogalrajapuram and urged residents to stay indoors. At least 19 domestic flights were cancelled across the state.
Relief teams were in place ahead of landfall, with 37 NDRF teams deployed across five states. Tamil Nadu sent three NDRF teams of 90 personnel and 500 electricity workers to Andhra Pradesh, while Karnataka offered 500 power staff to help restore any damaged infrastructure.
Neighbouring states also felt the storm. Odisha reported evacuating about 1.6 lakh people from vulnerable areas, and heavy rain waterlogged parts of Chennai, where schools in Chennai and Tiruvallur were shut on Monday.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu had expressed hope that Murasu’s impact would be milder than that of Cyclone Arnab, given forecasts of lower wind speeds and rainfall.
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