Prakasam and Nellore districts on high alert for Cyclone Murasu
Authorities in both districts have deployed disaster response teams and established control rooms as the cyclone approaches the coast.
The Prakasam and Nellore district administrations have issued high alerts as Cyclone Murasu approaches the coast, according to reports by The Hindu and Deccan Chronicle. In Nellore, Collector Himanshu Shukla warned of gale winds reaching 120 kmph and significant rainfall, with the cyclone expected to cross the coast between Kavali and Kandukur between Monday evening and midnight on November 2.
In Prakasam district, District Special Officer Ranjit Basha held a review meeting at Prakasam Bhavan on Monday to coordinate departmental responses. Collector P. Rajababu stated that 70 relief centres have been set up, as 26 villages and 72 habitations in coastal mandals are considered highly vulnerable.
The administration has already moved children, elderly persons, lactating mothers, and pregnant women to safer locations.
Joint Collector Kalpana Kumari inspected Kothapatnam beach and relief centres, advising fishermen to secure their nets and boats. She instructed officials to use radio communication to recall fishermen from the sea and to move families from huts and low-lying areas to shelters. Kumari noted that relief centres must provide medical services, food, water, and power.
Nellore Collector Himanshu Shukla advised residents in coastal and low-lying areas to relocate if necessary and to stay away from electric poles. He noted that the impact in areas including Kavali and the Nellore to Gudur stretch is expected to continue until Tuesday afternoon. A 24-hour control room has been established at the Nellore collectorate.
In Prakasam, officials have been directed to remove elevated hoardings and divert rainwater into irrigation tanks before strong winds arrive on Tuesday, November 3. NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed, and a toll-free control room is operational at the Prakasam Collectorate.