Cyclone Murasu leaves 2 dead, damages 312 houses in Andhra Pradesh

At least two people were killed in Bapatla district after severe cyclonic storm Murasu battered south coastal Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, November 3, damaging crops across 52,459 hectares and 312 houses.

Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) Managing Director Prakhar Jain confirmed the deaths and said 12,230 people had been moved to rehabilitation centres across the affected districts. Guntur, Bapatla and Palnadu were among the worst-affected districts.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Murasu crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole in Prakasam district between 3.30 am and 5.30 am on Tuesday with winds of 100-110 kmph. The cyclone has also triggered heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across coastal Andhra Pradesh, uprooting trees and damaging roads.

Preliminary reports estimate the damage caused by the cyclone at around Rs 344 crore and the government is monitoring 814 minor irrigation tanks, of which 776 have been placed on high alert.

Kothapatnam in Prakasam district recorded 16.4 cm of rainfall between 8.30 am on Monday and 5 am on Tuesday. Naguluppalapadu in Prakasam received 11.4 cm, followed by Chirala in Bapatla at 10 cm. Pelluru and Throvagunta in Prakasam recorded 9.3 cm and 9.2 cm, respectively.

Authorities are also monitoring the Budameru rivulet in NTR district, which had triggered floods in Vijayawada in 2024. Heavy inflows were expected into the rivulet and  people living in low-lying areas were shifted to rehabilitation centres.

Residents in parts of Bapatla and NTR districts were moved to shelters overnight amid concerns over heavy rainfall and possible landslides. At least 150 pregnant women and elderly people from the two districts were shifted to hospitals and primary health centres, where they would remain until the rains reduced.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who holds the Panchayat Raj, Rural Development and Rural Water Supply portfolios has directed the respective department staff to remain on alert as heavy rainfall affected 15 districts. 

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also reviewed the situation with district collectors and officials through a teleconference on Tuesday. He also briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the cyclone's impact.

Many flights were cancelled across Chennai, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and rail and road movement were also affected. The weather department said the cyclonic storm was likely to continue moving north-northwestwards and weaken by Tuesday midnight, with wind speeds of 55-65 kmph, as it moved towards Telangana.