Authorities in Andhra Pradesh have initiated evacuation efforts as Cyclone Murasu moves toward the southern Indian coast. About 2,000 residents had been relocated by Monday, with state officials planning to evacuate approximately 30,000 people from vulnerable coastal areas, according to Prakhar Jain, managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority.
The India Meteorological Department forecast that the cyclone would make landfall between Nellore and Narsapur near Ongole from Monday evening into Tuesday morning. The system is expected to strike as a severe cyclonic storm with sustained wind speeds around 100 to 110 kilometers per hour and gusts potentially reaching 120 kilometers per hour. Officials have identified several districts as particularly vulnerable, including Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, and Krishna.
State leadership has mobilized response resources and warned of potential infrastructure damage. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu noted projections suggesting between 6,000 and 8,000 electrical poles could be damaged, creating significant risks to power supplies throughout the region. Response forces are being positioned ahead of impact, with six National Disaster Response Force teams and seven State Disaster Response Force teams deployed. Three of the national teams were dispatched from neighboring Tamil Nadu.
The cyclone arrives as the region continues recovery from Cyclone Arnab, which struck the same area earlier in the week, resulting in six deaths and destruction of numerous homes and agricultural areas. Schools across Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha have been closed in preparation. Officials have advised fishermen against venturing to sea, and rainfall is expected to persist across portions of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh through Wednesday as the system weakens.
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