Cyclone Murasu claimed eight lives and caused an estimated loss of ₹1,918.55 crore to Andhra Pradesh, according to a preliminary damage assessment by state officials. The cyclone made landfall on Tuesday, leaving a trail of destruction across multiple districts and triggering a large-scale relief and restoration operation.

Human Toll and Crop Damage

Of the eight fatalities, five were reported from Bapatla district, two from Guntur district, and one from Palnadu district. The storm battered agricultural land, damaging crops over 1,43,122 hectares and affecting 1,86,063 farmers. Horticultural crops suffered losses across 6,749 hectares, impacting a further 12,586 farmers. A total of 983 houses, 346 boats, and 220 fishing nets were also damaged — a blow to coastal fishing communities already stretched thin.

Chief Minister Reviews Situation, to Visit Affected Areas

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday reviewed the post-cyclone situation, taking stock of damage reported by the Agriculture, Electricity, Municipal Administration, and Panchayat Raj departments. Officials informed him that it would take 48–72 hours to accurately gauge the full extent of crop losses once floodwaters recede. Naidu announced that he would personally visit cyclone-affected areas on Friday to assess ground conditions. This comes amid what officials described as the second consecutive cyclone to strike the state, compounding the strain on infrastructure and farming communities.

Power and Road Restoration Under Way

Electricity restoration is progressing rapidly under the APCPDCL jurisdiction, with 871 of the 1,103 affected 11 kV feeders restored as of Thursday, leaving 232 still to be repaired. Of 3,946 damaged electricity poles, 1,493 have been restored. The Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department reported damage to 760.10 kilometres of major district roads and state highways. All 206 tree-fall locations have been cleared. Under the Panchayat Raj Engineering Department, 74 rural roads spanning 204.14 kilometres were damaged, with restoration estimated to cost ₹92.08 crore.

Telecom, Water and Relief Operations

As of Thursday, 30,518 of the state's 31,428 telecom towers were operational, restoring 97.1% of telecom services. Pending restoration work remains at select locations in Bapatla, Prakasam, and West Godavari districts. At the Prakasam Barrage, inflow and outflow are being maintained at 43,500 cusecs, with 60 of 70 gates open. The Budameru Diversion Channel is carrying 6,047 cusecs of water, while inflow into Tammileru has declined from 26,000 cusecs to 10,200 cusecs. A total of 59 mandals and 649 gram panchayats were affected, and all 336 identified drainage blockages have been cleared.

Rescue Forces and Financial Relief

Relief and rescue operations involved 11 SDRF teams, 13 NDRF teams, and 390 fire personnel. Around 5.87 crore warning messages were dispatched to the public ahead of and during the storm. The state government has released ₹37 crore to affected districts for immediate relief. Naidu directed officials to prioritise the restoration of electricity, roads, and drinking water supply, stressing that farmers and citizens must not face prolonged hardship.

With a full damage assessment still pending and restoration work continuing across sectors, the final toll — both human and economic — is expected to firm up over the next few days.