Cyclone Murasu Begins Landfall Near Ongole on Andhra Pradesh Coast

Severe cyclonic storm Murasu began its landfall process along the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole in the early hours of November 3, 2026. The India Meteorological Department reported the storm centered about 30 to 40 km southeast of Ongole as the wall cloud region entered the land.

IMD bulletins placed the center near latitude 15.3°N and longitude 80.3°E around 0230 hours IST on November 3. The storm had moved north-northwestwards at 8 to 9 kmph in the preceding hours. Landfall was expected between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole, with sustained winds of 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph.

The outer and inner spiral bands had already entered coastal areas of south Andhra Pradesh. Storm surge of 1.0 to 1.5 meters above astronomical tide was forecast to inundate low-lying areas of Bapatla, Krishna, and Prakasam districts during the night of November 2 into early November 3. Peak surge was projected over those districts.

Schools and colleges closed in multiple districts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu on November 2 as a precaution. Orange and yellow alerts covered parts of Telangana. Evacuations took place in Odisha, where more than 1.6 lakh people moved from vulnerable coastal zones ahead of the system. Flight cancellations affected operations at several airports along the east coast.

Murasu is the Tamil name for a traditional war drum. India contributed the name under the regional cyclone naming list coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization. The storm followed Cyclone Arnab, which had affected the same region days earlier and caused at least six deaths.

IMD maintained continuous surveillance with Doppler Weather Radars at Chennai and Machilipatnam. Great danger signals were hoisted at ports including Nizampatnam, Vadarevu, Machilipatnam, and Krishnapatnam. Sea conditions were very rough to high north of 12°N.

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was expected across coastal Andhra Pradesh on November 2 and 3, with impacts extending into Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Odisha, and parts of Chhattisgarh. After landfall, the system was forecast to weaken and move north then north-northeast.

Local administrations in Prakasam and surrounding districts prepared relief centers and medical teams. Fishermen had been advised to stay ashore. The landfall process continued into the early morning hours of November 3, with gale winds and heavy rain reported along the coast.

The timing places the peak impact during the overnight hours, when low-lying coastal communities face the highest risk from surge and wind. Recovery operations will depend on how quickly the system weakens after crossing the coast.