Daijiworld Media Network - Amaravati
Amaravati, Nov 3: Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu made landfall along the south Andhra Pradesh coast early Tuesday, bringing extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds gusting up to 120 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The cyclone crossed the coast near Ongole in Prakasam district at around 1 am. It made landfall between Nellore and Narsapur, south of Ongole, after moving across the west-central Bay of Bengal. In its 4 am bulletin, the IMD confirmed that the eye of the cyclone had crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast, with sustained wind speeds of 100-110 kmph and gusts reaching 120 kmph.
The landfall comes less than a week after Cyclone Arnab affected parts of India's eastern coast.
Heavy rainfall lashed several parts of southern Andhra Pradesh under the influence of Murasu. The downpour began late Monday night and continued into the early hours of Tuesday, causing waterlogging on major roads, including Bandar Road and Polyclinic Road, as well as several areas in One Town. The waterlogging disrupted traffic and inconvenienced commuters.
The IMD has forecast further heavy spells of rain along the south Andhra Pradesh coast over the next 12 hours. It has also warned of a storm surge of around 1 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide, which could inundate low-lying areas of the south coastal region until the morning of November 3. Bapatla and parts of Krishna and Prakasam districts are expected to experience the maximum surge before conditions gradually ease.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to remain on high alert and ensure that there were no casualties. He reviewed the situation and sought updates on rainfall intensity and wind speeds in Nellore, Prakasam and the Kothapatnam coastal region.
Naidu instructed officials to ensure that residents of areas likely to be severely affected remained indoors until the cyclone crossed the coast. He stressed that protecting lives must remain the administration's top priority.
The Chief Minister also directed staff at Swarna Grama and Swarna Ward offices to ensure that cyclone warnings and information reached people at the grassroots level. Referring to the loss of lives during Cyclone Arnab despite precautionary measures, he said such incidents must not be repeated.
Naidu further asked officials to take steps to minimise damage to property and prevent breaches in canals and irrigation tanks. Although wind speeds were expected to be lower than those recorded during Cyclone Arnab, electricity department personnel were instructed to remain alert and ensure prompt restoration of power in the event of damage to poles or supply lines.