Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu makes landfall near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh
The storm hit the coast with wind speeds reaching 120 kmph on Tuesday morning.
The landfall process of Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu began at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh, according to The Hindu. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that maximum sustained wind speeds at the landfall point were between 110 kmph and 120 kmph.
By 3 a.m., the inner spiral band in the northern sector and the wall cloud region had begun entering the land. P.L.N. Murthy, Head of the Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam, stated the storm was expected to hit the coast between Nellore and Narsapur, south of Ongole.
The IMD warned that a storm surge of 1.5 to 2 metres above the astronomical tide could flood low-lying areas in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh. The highest surge is anticipated in Bapatla and parts of Krishna and Prakasam districts.
In response to the storm, three teams from the 4th battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) departed from Tamil Nadu on Monday to lead relief operations in Andhra Pradesh, The News Mill reported. Additionally, the Odisha government expedited evacuations from vulnerable areas on Monday.
The Andhra Pradesh government's Real Time Governance Society has launched a grievance mechanism via the 'Mana Mitra' WhatsApp platform. Residents can report issues such as power outages or uprooted trees by messaging 9552300009.
In Prakasam district, a vehicle was stranded at Chintala village after a tree fell due to heavy winds and rain. District Revenue Officer B. Venkata Ramana requested that citizens remain indoors until the impact of the cyclone concludes.