Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu Nears South Andhra Pradesh Coast With Landfall Expected Overnight

Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu sat over the west-central Bay of Bengal on 2 November 2026, roughly 100 km east of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, according to the India Meteorological Department. Maximum sustained winds near the centre reached 100-110 kmph with gusts to 120 kmph. The system moved west-northwest at about 10-14 kmph in the hours before the latest bulletin.

IMD expects the storm to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, south of Ongole, sometime between 2330 IST on 2 November and 0400 IST on 3 November. It should remain a severe cyclonic storm at landfall. After crossing, the system is forecast to turn north then north-northeast while weakening gradually over land.

A storm surge of 1.0 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide is likely to inundate low-lying stretches of the south coastal Andhra Pradesh shore during landfall. Peak surge is expected over Bapatla and parts of Krishna and Prakasam districts. Surge heights may already exceed 0.5 m from the evening of 2 November onward. Extremely heavy rainfall is also expected at isolated places along the coast on 2 and 3 November.

Schools and colleges in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu remained closed on 2 November because of heavy rain associated with the outer bands. Collectors in those districts issued the holiday orders the previous day. Orange alerts covered six districts in Telangana and yellow alerts covered five more for the same day. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to keep relief and rescue teams ready. Port signals were raised to Great Danger level at several Andhra ports including Nizampatnam, Vadarevu, Machilipatnam and Krishnapatnam.

Murasu formed as a depression over the Bay of Bengal on 29 October and intensified into a cyclonic storm the following day. By 21:00 UTC on 1 November it had become a severe cyclonic storm. Satellite imagery on 2 November showed curved banding, a central dense overcast and deep inner-core convection. Central pressure estimates ranged near 986-996 hPa depending on the analysis. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center assessed the system as a Category 1-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale with 1-minute winds near 120 kmph at peak.

The name Murasu means war drum in Tamil and was contributed by the Maldives under the regional naming list. The track has kept the system on a relatively steady northwest path across the Bay. Interaction with land and cooler shelf waters near the Coromandel coast is expected to limit any further intensification before landfall. IMD rates confidence in the current position, track and intensity forecast as high.

Coastal Andhra Pradesh has seen several cyclones in recent seasons, including systems that produced significant storm surge and inland flooding. Local administrations have pre-positioned relief supplies and activated control rooms. Fishermen have been advised to stay ashore. The combination of high winds, surge and heavy rain will test drainage and power infrastructure along the landfall zone between Nellore and Ongole overnight and into Tuesday morning.

Further bulletins from IMD will refine the exact landfall timing and residual intensity once the system is over land. Residents in low-lying coastal villages of Prakasam, Krishna and Nellore districts face the most immediate risk from the surge and associated flooding.