StatesAndhra Pradesh
Cyclone Murasu crosses Andhra coast near Ongole, leaving 198 mm of rain and fallen trees
The severe cyclonic storm finished crossing the south Andhra Pradesh coast between 3:30 am and 5:30 am on Tuesday. Prakasam and Bapatla took the heaviest rain, and officials say its effects could last another 24 hours.
Key points
- Murasu crossed the coast near Ongole between 3:30 am and 5:30 am, the IMD said.
- Naguluppalapadu in Prakasam recorded 198 mm of rain in the 24 hours to 6 am.
- No deaths had been reported by early morning, but trees blocked several roads in Prakasam.
Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu has crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast close to Ongole, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday morning, after a landfall that began around 1 am and dragged on through the small hours. The storm moved north-northwestwards and crossed between Nellore and Narsapur between 3:30 am and 5:30 am, with winds of 100 to 110 km/h gusting to 120 km/h.
By daylight the storm was over land and expected to weaken gradually as it moves west-northwest. Officials of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) warned that its impact may continue for another 24 hours, with rain still falling across the coastal districts.
Where the rain fell
The heaviest rain fell in Prakasam and Bapatla, the two districts on either side of the landfall point. APSDMA figures for the 24 hours to 6 am show Naguluppalapadu with 198 mm, followed by Kothapatnam, the beach village where the eye came ashore, with 182 mm. Bapatla, Chirala and Ongole town all crossed 100 mm.
Further north, Mogalthur in West Godavari and Malikipuram in Konaseema each received more than 90 mm, a sign of how wide the storm’s rain bands reached. Warnings remain in force for West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, Prakasam and Nellore.
Trees down, roads blocked
The damage visible so far is mostly fallen trees and blocked roads. In Prakasam, large trees came down across the Kondapi-Tanguturu road and on the Nidamanuru-Uppalapadu and Ongole-Nidamanuru roads. Trees were also uprooted in and around Chirala in Bapatla district. The Kollam-Visakhapatnam Express was reported to have been held at Singarayakonda station.
No deaths had been reported by early morning. That will be some relief to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who had told officials to make sure “there is no loss of life”, mindful of the lives lost when Cyclone Arnab hit the state days earlier. He asked people in the worst-hit areas to stay indoors until the storm had fully passed and told power staff to be ready to restore supply quickly.
What happens next
Fishermen have been told not to go to sea until Wednesday morning. Eluru district declared a holiday for schools, colleges and anganwadis on Tuesday because of the continuous rain, joining districts that had already shut schools. Over 2 lakh people were moved to safer places across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha before the storm arrived.
Residents have been asked to keep off waterlogged roads and away from fallen poles and trees. The state’s helpline, 9552300009, and its Mana Mitra WhatsApp service are taking calls for help.