Cyclone Murasu Causes Two Deaths and Damages Over 52,000 Hectares of Crops in Andhra Pradesh

Landfall and Immediate Impact

Severe cyclonic storm Murasu crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole in Prakasam district between 3.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Sustained winds at landfall were reported at 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph. The storm then weakened into a cyclonic storm and later a deep depression as it moved inland.

At least two people died in Bapatla district when buildings collapsed. A 25-year-old man in Chinnaganjam and a 65-year-old woman in Karamchedu were the fatalities. Officials from the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority reported the deaths.

Agricultural and Infrastructure Damage

Preliminary assessments put crop damage at 52,459 hectares across 15 districts. Paddy, cotton, and maize were the most affected. Krishna, Bapatla, Guntur, Palnadu, and Nandyal districts recorded the heaviest losses. One estimate broke the figure into roughly 30,600 hectares of paddy, 21,474 hectares of cotton, and 605 hectares of maize. Total economic loss was estimated at Rs 344 crore.

The storm damaged 312 houses and around 31,000 electric poles. Power supply was disrupted in 4,095 villages. More than 200 cell towers were affected. Over 30 trees fell on roads in Prakasam district alone, with hundreds more uprooted across villages. Twelve thousand two hundred thirty people were accommodated in rehabilitation centres in Guntur, Bapatla, and Palnadu districts. Authorities monitored 814 minor irrigation tanks, placing 776 on high alert.

Rainfall and Movement

Prakasam and Bapatla districts recorded very heavy rainfall of around 200 mm in the early hours. Marripalem in Palnadu recorded 263.75 mm. Other stations in Palnadu and Bapatla exceeded 200 mm. Twenty-one stations across Guntur, Prakasam, and West Godavari recorded more than 100 mm. The India Meteorological Department had issued warnings for 48 districts in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, southern Odisha, and northeast Tamil Nadu.

About 200,000 people had been evacuated from high-risk areas in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha before landfall. The storm also caused waterlogging in NTR, Konaseema, Kakinada, and Nellore districts. Urban body election results in several municipalities, including Ongole, were rescheduled.

Response and Aftermath

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to review the situation. State agencies coordinated with central teams for relief and restoration. The system continued to produce heavy rain as it weakened and moved north-northeast. By Wednesday, November 4, it had become a deep depression over coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining east Telangana, expected to weaken further into a depression.

The dual impact of heavy rain on standing crops and wind damage to power infrastructure will require sustained restoration work. Farmers in the affected districts face losses at a critical stage of the cropping season. The relatively low loss of life reflects the scale of pre-landfall evacuations, while the economic cost is concentrated in agriculture and power distribution.