Cyclone Murasu makes landfall near Ongole with 120 kmph gusts

Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole in Prakasam district, between 3:30 and 5:30 am IST on November 3, 2026. The India Meteorological Department recorded sustained winds of 100 to 110 kmph with gusts reaching 120 kmph at landfall. The process began around 1 am as the wall cloud entered the coast. The centre crossed near latitude 15.53°N and longitude 80.22°E after moving north-northwestwards.

A storm surge of 1.0 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide was expected to inundate low-lying areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh until morning, with the peak over Bapatla, Krishna and Prakasam districts. Heavy rainfall continued across the region for the following 12 hours. Doppler radars at Chennai and Machilipatnam tracked the system. At 7:30 am the centre lay about 30 km north-northeast of Ongole and 40 km west-southwest of Bapatla, with intensity reduced to 95-105 kmph gusting to 115.

Authorities evacuated thousands from vulnerable coastal stretches. At least 19 domestic flights were cancelled at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati airports. Trees fell, power poles were damaged and some thatched homes and boats sustained losses. Early reports indicated no major casualties, though crop damage reached tens of thousands of hectares, particularly paddy, cotton and maize in Krishna, Bapatla and Nandyal districts. The State Election Commission rescheduled vote counting for several urban local bodies in the affected area.

Murasu formed in the central Bay of Bengal on November 1 and strengthened into a severe cyclonic storm before landfall. It was the second cyclone to strike Andhra Pradesh within a week, following Cyclone Arnab near Kakinada. Dry air from the peninsula limited further intensification. After crossing the coast the system weakened to a cyclonic storm and was expected to become a deep depression by afternoon while moving inland. IMD bulletins warned of continued heavy rain over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and parts of neighbouring states.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu received briefings on the track and impact. Local officials reported that power supply largely held and that low-lying areas saw flooding. The landfall near Kothapatnam beach brought strong winds and rain that scattered pushcarts and signboards. Satellite imagery showed a clear eye and spiral bands as the storm approached the coast. The system’s rapid weakening after landfall limited the duration of the most intense winds, yet the combination of surge and rain still disrupted transport and agriculture.

The episode adds to a season of successive Bay of Bengal cyclones that have tested coastal preparedness in Andhra Pradesh. Evacuation orders, flight cancellations and temporary election adjustments show the operational response. Damage assessments continue for crops and infrastructure. Further rain bands may affect inland districts before the remnant low dissipates. Residents in low-lying coastal zones remain the most exposed to residual flooding even as the core storm moves away.