Cyclone Murasu Approaches Andhra Pradesh Coast

VISAKHAPATNAM — The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has placed coastal districts on high alert as Cyclonic Storm 'Murasu' rapidly intensifies into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the severe weather system is projected to make landfall along the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, in close proximity to Ongole, spanning from midnight into the early hours of Tuesday.

The storm system, tracking north-northwestward at a steady speed, was centered over the Westcentral and adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal. Meteorological updates place the system roughly 160 kilometers east-southeast of Nellore, 180 kilometers northeast of Chennai, and 240 kilometers south of Machilipatnam. Sustained wind speeds are forecasted to reach 100 to 110 kilometers per hour, with violent gusts touching up to 120 kilometers per hour during landfall.

Extensive Rainfall Warnings Issued

APSDMA Managing Director and Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) Chief Executive Officer, Prakhar Jain, confirmed that wide-scale heavy to very heavy rainfall is imminent across South Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

* Extremely Heavy Rainfall: Isolated locations within Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Markapuram, and Nellore districts are bracing for torrential downpours. * Very Heavy Rainfall: Expected in pockets of Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, NTR, Palnadu, Tirupati, and Chittoor. * Heavy Rainfall: Projected across parts of Alluri, Polavaram, Kakinada, Konaseema, Nandyal, YSR Kadapa, and Annamayya districts.

Emergency Response Teams Deployed

In anticipation of widespread disruptions—including potential large-scale damage to power infrastructure, communication networks, and the uprooting of utility poles—the state government has mobilized pre-positioned rescue personnel. Six specialized teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) alongside seven teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed across vulnerable corridors to oversee rapid relief and evacuation operations.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed district collectors and municipal authorities to maintain continuous surveillance, ensure uninterrupted power backup for critical healthcare facilities, and relocate residents from low-lying coastal habitations to safer cyclone shelters immediately.