Cyclone Murasu crosses Andhra Pradesh coast with 120 kmph gusts
The severe cyclonic storm caused heavy rainfall, uprooted trees, and damaged roads across several coastal districts in the state.
Severe cyclonic storm Murasu crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole between 3.30 am and 5.30 am on Tuesday, according to the Times of India.
The storm moved north-northwestwards with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph and gusts reaching 120 kmph. It caused power outages, communication disruptions, and damage to roads, electric poles, and trees in Prakasam, Palnadu, Bapatla, and Guntur districts.
Rainfall levels were high in several areas, with Kothapatnam in Prakasam district measuring 16.4 cm of rain from Monday morning until 5 am on Tuesday. Other significant measurements included 11.4 cm in Naguluppalapadu, 10 cm in Chirala, and 9.3 cm in Pelluru.
The weather system is expected to weaken into a cyclonic storm with gusts of 100 kmph by Tuesday afternoon. It may further weaken into a deep depression with wind speeds of 55-65 kmph by midnight on Tuesday.
A storm surge of 1.0-1.5 metres is likely to flood low-lying areas in south coastal Andhra Pradesh, with the highest surge expected over Bapatla, Krishna, and Prakasam districts. Heavy rain is predicted to continue in the region until Tuesday evening.