Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu (often written phonetically as Murusu), a tropical cyclone originating over the west-central Bay of Bengal, made landfall along the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh early on the morning of November 3, 2026. Hitting just days after Cyclone Arnab impacted the eastern seaboard, Murasu brought gale-force winds, intense storm surges, and torrential downpours across coastal and interior districts of South India.
Genesis, Track, and Meteorological Evolution
The naming of the system was contributed by India under the World Meteorological Organization/ESCAP panel naming schedule, derived from the Tamil term Murasu—a traditional war drum.
- Formation (October 31 – November 1, 2026):A well-marked low-pressure area over the southeastern Bay of Bengal consolidated rapidly under favorable sea surface temperatures (exceeding 28°C) and moderate vertical wind shear.By the morning of November 1, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded the system into a Deep Depression and subsequently into a Cyclonic Storm.
- Rapid Intensification (November 2, 2026):Guided along the periphery of a subtropical ridge, the system took a steady north-northwestward track toward the Andhra coast, upgrading into a Severe Cyclonic Storm.
- Approaching the Coast:By late evening on November 2, the spiral rainbands had engulfed coastal districts from Nellore to Godavari, with the eye wall approaching the Prakasam and Bapatla shorelines.
Landfall Characteristics and Point of Impact
According to the India Meteorological Department and state disaster tracking bulletins:
- Landfall Window:The core landfall process commenced shortly after midnight, crossing the coastline around 1:00 AM IST on November 3, 2026, and concluding its forward crossing through roughly 6:30 AM.
- Exact Geographic Location:The eye of the storm crossed near Kothapatnam, close to Ongole in Prakasam district, along the coastal stretch between Nellore and Narsapur in south Andhra Pradesh.
- Wind Intensity:Sustained gale winds clocked between 100 km/h and 110 km/h, with localized onshore wind gusts reaching up to 120–150 km/h right at the coastline during peak crossing.
- Storm Surge:Astronomical tides combined with onshore winds pushed sea water inland by 1 to 1.5 meters in low-lying delta pockets and estuarine villages, inundating shrimp hatcheries, coastal farmlands, and fishing settlements.
Key Affected Regions
| District / Region | Primary Meteorological & Ground Impact |
| Prakasam (Ongole, Kothapatnam) | Direct epicenter; uprooted trees, damaged tin roofs, highway blockades, and localized street flooding. |
| Bapatla & Guntur | Extreme precipitation, canal breaches, extensive submergence of standing paddy and chili crops. |
| SPSR Nellore | High winds, coastal inundation, road traffic interruptions along national and state corridors. |
| Krishna & Konaseema | Continuous downpours, sea surge warnings, disruption of mechanized coastal boat activity. |
| North Tamil Nadu & Puducherry | Peripheral outer bands delivered intense spells over Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Puducherry, disrupting urban morning transit. |
| Telangana & Rayalaseema | Post-landfall convective bands driving sudden rainstorms over Khammam, Nalgonda, and adjacent interior districts. |
Emergency Response, Evacuation, and Governance
Having weathered Cyclone Arnab less than a week prior, government machinery across Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring administrations had already mobilized state disaster response teams (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CRITICAL RESPONSE PROTOCOLS │
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│ • Pre-emptive Evacuation: Thousands moved to relief camps │
│ • Power Grid Protocol: Precautionary feeder shut-downs │
│ • Highway Operations: Heavy vehicles restricted on NH-16 │
│ • Real-time Monitoring: 3:30 AM CM teleconference review │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
- Mitigating Electrocution Risks: Following lessons learned from post-Arnab casualties caused by snapped live wires, state power utilities and district collectors implemented targeted line trippings and rapid clearance protocols. Citizens were instructed via broadcast alerts to remain indoors until line workers and clearing machinery removed fallen branches and debris.
- Relief Infrastructure: Multi-purpose cyclone shelters along the Prakasam-Bapatla coastline housed evacuated fishermen and rural families, complete with provisions for drinking water, dry rations, and medical emergency staff.
- Fishermen Advisories: Total port warnings (Great Danger signals) were raised at Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam, and Krishnapatnam ports, keeping all mechanized trawlers and country craft docked.
Agricultural and Economic Impact
The timing of Cyclone Murasu dealt a severe blow to agrarian communities in coastal Andhra Pradesh:
- Standing Crops: Fields of kharif paddy ready for harvesting, as well as vast tracts of red chili, cotton, and horticulture plantations across Bapatla, Guntur, and Prakasam districts, faced widespread lodging (flattening by winds) and waterlogging.
- Aquaculture Infrastructure: The storm surge overtopped saline embankments along brackish-water shrimp and fish ponds, causing financial loss to farmers due to escaped stocks and contaminated freshwater sources.
- Transport Disruptions: Sectional disruptions along the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway (NH-16) and coastal branch rail lines occurred due to fallen trees, caution speed restrictions, and track waterlogging.
Post-Landfall Trajectory and Outlook
Following landfall near Ongole, Murasu began interacting with the rugged interior landmass of the Deccan plateau, rapidly cutting off the moisture supply from the Bay of Bengal.
- Weakening Phase:The system decelerated from a Severe Cyclonic Storm to a standard Cyclonic Storm by late morning on November 3, with projections showing degradation into a Deep Depression and subsequent Depression as it moves north-northwestward into southern Telangana and adjoining Rayalaseema.
- Secondary Threats: While wind speeds drop progressively below damaging thresholds (under 50–60 km/h), the remnants carry moisture capable of triggering flash floods, reservoir overflows, and waterlogged urban centers across inland Andhra Pradesh and southern Telangana over the next 24 to 48 hours.
Disaster management authorities continue post-cyclone restoration, deploying JCBs, electrical repair crews, and health sanitization units to restore normalcy to coastal corridors.
