VISAKHAPATNAM — Cyclone Murasu crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur near Ongole early Tuesday, bringing wind speeds of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph and triggering heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across the region. The severe cyclonic storm made landfall during the pre-dawn hours, uprooting trees and electric poles, damaging roads and causing power outages and communication disruptions in parts of Prakasam, Palnadu, Bapatla and Guntur districts.
A storm surge of 1.0-1.5 metres above astronomical tide very likely inundated low-lying areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh, with the maximum peak surge expected over Bapatla, Krishna and Prakasam districts. The system was expected to gradually weaken, reducing to wind speeds of 80-90 kmph by Tuesday afternoon and further weakening to a deep depression with 55-65 kmph winds by Tuesday midnight.
Rainfall totals were significant across the affected region. Kothapatnam in Prakasam district recorded 16.4 centimetres of rainfall between 8:30 am on Monday and 5 am on Tuesday, followed by 11.4 cm in Naguluppalapadu (Prakasam), 10 cm in Chirala (Bapatla), 9.3 cm in Pelluru (Prakasam), 9.2 cm in Throvagunta (Prakasam), 8.5 cm each at ANGR Agriculture College (Bapatla) and Santhanuthlapdu (Prakasam), 8 cm in Bapatla, 7.9 cm in Mogallthur (West Godavari), 7.7 cm in Pakala (Prakasam), 7.5 cm in Chilakapdu (Prakasam) and 7.4 cm in Malikipuram (Konaseema).
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was briefed during a review with district Collectors and officials at 3:30 am. Officials reported that no electricity poles had fallen and there were no disruptions to power supply anywhere. Two fallen trees had been cleared in Bapatla district, seven in Nellore and five locations in Prakasam had reported fallen trees. Heavy rainfall was reported in Avanigadda and Nagayalanka in Krishna district, and in Guntur district rainfall was recorded in all mandals with no incidents of falling trees or electricity poles.
In NTR district, light showers were occurring at several places, and some families had been shifted to relief camps as a precaution against possible landslides at Mogalrajpuram. Collectors also informed the Chief Minister that arrangements were being made for counting votes in the local body elections alongside cyclone relief operations.
The system's outer bands affected Tamil Nadu as well. The Greater Chennai Corporation put Thiruvottiyur and Manali on alert for heavy overnight rain, and an NDRF team was stationed in Thiruvottiyur. Eleven flight services were cancelled at Chennai International Airport due to adverse weather conditions, including four IndiGo flights from Tiruchy grounding both daily round trips and three flights connecting Chennai and Vijayawada.
Murasu is expected to continue moving north-northwestwards and gradually dissipate over the coming days.
