Cyclone Murasu Intensifies and Heads for Andhra Pradesh Coast Landfall Near Ongole

Cyclonic Storm Murasu over the Bay of Bengal has moved west-northwestwards and is set to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm before crossing the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole during the midnight of 2 November to the early hours of 3 November 2026.

The India Meteorological Department placed the system at 1800 UTC on 1 November near latitude 13.3 degrees north and longitude 83.0 degrees east. That position put it about 300 kilometres east of Chennai, 350 kilometres east-southeast of Nellore, 380 kilometres south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 370 kilometres east-southeast of Kavali, 400 kilometres southeast of Ongole and 490 kilometres south of Visakhapatnam.

IMD expects the storm to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal during the next three hours. It will then move northwestwards and make landfall as a severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained winds of 100 to 110 kilometres per hour gusting to 120 kilometres per hour. The landfall zone lies between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole in Prakasam district.

Coastal bulletins from the Area Cyclone Warning Centre in Kolkata have raised local cautionary signal number III at Krishnapatnam, Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam and Vadarevu ports. Squally weather with winds of 20 to 25 knots gusting to 30 knots is forecast along the coast. Visibility will become moderate and then poor in rain, and very poor in thundershowers. Sea conditions will turn moderate to rough and very rough in thundershowers.

A storm surge of 1.0 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide is very likely to inundate low-lying areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh at the time of landfall. The maximum peak surge is expected over Bapatla and also over Krishna and Prakasam districts.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials on 1 November to remain fully prepared for relief and rescue operations. Officials briefed him that the storm was likely to cross the coast near Bapatla on the morning of 3 November. Of the 20 mandals forecast to receive extremely heavy rainfall, nine lie in Eluru district, five each in Krishna and NTR districts and one in Bapatla.

On 3 November average district rainfall is expected to reach around 179 millimetres in Eluru, 163 millimetres in Krishna, 161 millimetres in NTR, 147 millimetres in West Godavari, 119 millimetres in Guntur and 104 millimetres in Bapatla.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea. Coastal districts have begun preparations to move vulnerable populations to safer locations. The system has already produced heavy rain over parts of the Bay of Bengal and is expected to bring widespread rain or thundershowers to coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

IMD continues to issue updates every few hours. The next major change will come when the system reaches severe cyclonic storm intensity and begins its final northwestward turn toward the coast. Residents in the landfall zone between Nellore and Narsapur have been told to secure loose objects, avoid coastal areas during the surge window and follow instructions from district administrations.

The name Murasu was contributed by Myanmar to the list of names for tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean. It is pronounced Murasu. The storm formed over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal and has maintained a steady west-northwest track at about 25 kilometres per hour in recent hours.

Authorities in Nellore, Prakasam, Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari and Eluru districts have placed disaster response teams on alert. Schools and offices in the most exposed coastal mandals may close on 2 and 3 November if conditions worsen. Power utilities have prepared for outages caused by high winds and fallen trees.

The forecast landfall window remains midnight of 2 November to 0400 hours IST of 3 November. Any further intensification or a slight shift in track could change the exact landfall point by a few tens of kilometres. IMD will refine the track and intensity forecasts as the system approaches the coast.

Coastal communities that have experienced previous cyclones in this stretch of the Andhra coast are familiar with the sequence of rising winds, heavy rain and storm surge. The current system is forecast to reach severe cyclonic storm strength, which is sufficient to damage thatched roofs, uproot trees and disrupt road and rail traffic for a day or two after landfall.

State government machinery has already moved stocks of food, water and medicines to the districts expected to receive the heaviest rain. National Disaster Response Force teams are positioned for deployment once the storm makes landfall and the immediate danger passes.