Cyclone Murasu intensifies, to hit Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole tonight
Synopsis
Cyclone Murasu has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and is closing in on the Andhra Pradesh coastline, expected to make landfall near Ongole with winds gusting to 120 kmph. Coming just days after Cyclone Arnab, it is stretching the state's disaster response machinery — with Chandrababu Naidu already calling Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for emergency power-restoration support.
Key Takeaways
Cyclone Murasu has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and is expected to cross south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole at midnight of 2–3 November .
Forecast wind speeds at landfall: 100–110 kmph , gusting up to 120 kmph .
Six NDRF and seven SDRF teams have been pre-deployed for rescue and relief operations.
Extremely heavy rainfall is expected in isolated spots; widespread heavy to very heavy rain across multiple Andhra Pradesh districts.
CM Chandrababu Naidu has sought emergency power-restoration support from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka .
The storm follows Cyclone Arnab , with Telangana teams still active on Arnab-related restoration work.
Severe cyclonic storm Murasu is barrelling toward the Andhra Pradesh coast and is expected to make landfall between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole, in the early hours of Tuesday, 3 November, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned on Monday. The storm has already intensified from a cyclonic storm into a severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds forecast at 100–110 kmph gusting up to 120 kmph at landfall.
Storm Track and Current Position
As of 2.30 am IST on 2 November, Cyclone Murasu lay centred over the west-central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, moving northwestwards at 20 kmph. The IMD bulletin placed the storm approximately 260 km east-northeast of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, 290 km east-southeast of Nellore, 320 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam, and 470 km south of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The storm is very likely to maintain its northwestward track before crossing the south Andhra coast at midnight of 2 November through the early hours of 3 November.
Rainfall Warning Across Districts
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has issued widespread rainfall alerts. Extremely heavy rainfall is expected at one or two locations, while heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in the districts of Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Markapuram, and Nellore on Monday and Tuesday, according to APSDMA Managing Director and CEO of Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) Centre, Prakhar Jain. Very heavy rainfall is additionally forecast for Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, NTR, Palnadu, Tirupati, and Chittoor districts. Heavy rainfall is likely in parts of Alluri, Polavaram, Kakinada, Konaseema, Nandyal, YSR Kadapa, and Annamayya districts.
Rescue and Relief Deployment
In anticipation of significant damage, six teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and seven teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been pre-positioned across vulnerable areas. Electricity department personnel, who had already completed restoration work in areas battered by the earlier Cyclone Arnab, are on standby for rapid redeployment to Murasu-affected zones. Separately, personnel from Telangana are reportedly still engaged in field operations related to Cyclone Arnab's damage.
Chandrababu Naidu Mobilises Neighbouring States
Expecting large-scale damage to electricity infrastructure — particularly the uprooting of electric poles — Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday contacted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay and Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, seeking personnel and machinery for post-cyclone power restoration. According to an official release, both chief ministers responded positively and assured full cooperation. Naidu indicated that Andhra Pradesh officials would coordinate directly with their counterparts in both states to facilitate the required support.
Back-to-Back Cyclones: A Growing Concern
Cyclone Murasu arrives on the heels of Cyclone Arnab, underscoring the heightened cyclonic activity over the Bay of Bengal this season. The back-to-back nature of the storms is stretching disaster response capacity, with repair crews from multiple states now mobilised simultaneously. The APSDMA has advised residents in coastal and low-lying areas to remain alert and heed evacuation advisories as the storm approaches.
Point of View
Relying on interstate solidarity rather than its own surplus capacity. The real stress test here is not just physical infrastructure but coordination bandwidth: can Chandrababu Naidu's government manage a multi-state rescue-and-repair operation without the gaps that plagued past Andhra cyclone responses? The answer will matter far beyond this landfall.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where will Cyclone Murasu make landfall?
Cyclone Murasu is expected to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole, at around midnight of 2 November through the early hours of 3 November 2026. The IMD has forecast this as a severe cyclonic storm at the time of landfall.
How strong is Cyclone Murasu?
Murasu has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm with sustained wind speeds of 100 to 110 kmph and gusts reaching 120 kmph at landfall. As of 2.30 am IST on 2 November, it was moving northwestwards at 20 kmph over the Bay of Bengal.
Which districts in Andhra Pradesh are most at risk?
The IMD and APSDMA have flagged Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Markapuram, and Nellore for heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy rainfall possible at isolated locations. Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, Tirupati, and Chittoor are also on alert for very heavy rainfall.
What disaster response measures have been taken?
Six NDRF teams and seven SDRF teams have been pre-deployed across vulnerable areas. Electricity department personnel who completed Cyclone Arnab restoration work are on standby, and CM Chandrababu Naidu has secured assurances of support from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for post-cyclone power-line restoration.
How does Cyclone Murasu relate to the earlier Cyclone Arnab?
Cyclone Arnab had already caused significant damage to electricity infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh before Murasu formed. Telangana personnel are still engaged in Arnab-related field operations, and Andhra Pradesh is now managing back-to-back cyclone responses — a situation that has prompted the state to seek additional interstate resources.
