Andhra Pradesh: Cyclone Murasu begins landfall near Ongole, heavy rain floods Vijayawada roads

Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu began crossing the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole in Prakasam district in the early hours of Tuesday, bringing gale-force winds and heavy overnight rain to several coastal districts, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD said the landfall process, between Nellore and Narsapur, began at about 1 am and was still under way in the early morning. Sustained winds of 100 to 110 km/h, gusting to 120 km/h, were recorded along and off the coast. At 1:30 am, the system was centred about 40 km southeast of Ongole, 60 km northeast of Kavali and 70 km south of Bapatla.

Rain and storm surge

Rain that began late on Monday night continued into Tuesday morning. In Vijayawada, water collected on main roads such as Bandar Road and Polyclinic Road and in several parts of One Town, slowing early commuters. Reports from the Kothapatnam beach area near Ongole described strong winds and heavy rain as the landfall process continued.

The IMD warned of a storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide, which could flood low-lying stretches of south coastal Andhra Pradesh until Tuesday morning. The highest surge was expected around Bapatla and in Krishna and Prakasam districts. More spells of heavy rain are likely along the south coast over the next 12 hours.

No deaths linked to Murasu had been reported by early Tuesday, and officials have not yet released damage estimates. The National Disaster Response Force has deployed 37 teams across five states, 13 of them in Andhra Pradesh, according to reports.

Government response

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu told officials to stay on high alert and work towards zero casualties. He asked field staff to spread warnings, keep property damage to a minimum and guard against breaches in canals and irrigation tanks. People in the worst-hit areas were advised to stay indoors until the storm passed, and power utility staff were told to be ready to restore supply quickly. Naidu said the winds were expected to be weaker than those of Cyclone Arnab.

Disruption had already begun on Monday, when at least 19 domestic flights were cancelled at Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam airports. Schools and colleges in several districts, including NTR and Guntur, were shut as a precaution.

Why it matters

Murasu is the second cyclone to hit India's east coast in less than a week, after Cyclone Arnab, which left six people dead in Odisha. The back-to-back storms put pressure on relief teams and power networks, and could hurt standing crops in the Krishna delta and Prakasam belt just before the harvest season. Authorities will now focus on clearing roads, restoring electricity and assessing crop losses as the system weakens inland.