Cyclone Murasu began its landfall close to Ongole in the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Tuesday, reportedly uprooting thousands of trees and damaging electric poles and crops along the coast, as schools and colleges were closed in at least eight districts as a precaution.
The severe cyclonic storm is now moving towards the north-northwest, according to the India Meteorological Department, and is over the west central Bay of Bengal close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast. The IMD said heavy rainfall was likely across south coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 12 hours, and that the cyclone is likely to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by noon and further into a deep depression by Tuesday midnight.
Murasu comes after Cyclone Arnab and has brought heavy rain and strong winds to the southern state, disrupting life in the region.
On the west coast, residents of Karjat in Maharashtra are pushing back against the large-scale felling of trees for a proposed 3,000-MW pumped storage power plant. More than 32,000 trees are expected to be cleared for construction, and according to a report by the Indian Express, nearly 1,100 trees were cut down before the operation was halted last week amid protests. On Monday, a demonstration by residents, political groups and environmental activists prompted an almost total shutdown of activity in Karjat.
The project, being built by Torrent Power, needs 377 hectares of land along the Sahyadri range in Raigad district and is expected to be operational by 2029. It is expected to cut Maharashtra's dependence on coal-fired power, but environmental experts have warned that clearing the forest on the west coast will disrupt the moisture cycles that bring rain to regions far away.
At sea, the Indian Navy rescued 20 Iranian crew members from Somali pirates in a coordinated 48-hour operation.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Cyclone Murasu has damaged crops, power lines and trees across coastal Andhra Pradesh, and while the IMD expects it to weaken through Tuesday, heavy rain is forecast to continue over the south coast.
- The Karjat dispute puts a test case on the table: how India sites the storage capacity it needs to move away from coal when the land in question is forest along the Sahyadri range.
- The Navy's rescue of Iranian crew from Somali pirates points to the continued risk to shipping and crews in the waters off India's west coast.
Background
India's eastern coastline is regularly struck by cyclonic storms that form over the Bay of Bengal, prompting state authorities to close schools and move people away from low-lying areas. Pumped storage plants work by moving water between reservoirs at different heights to store and release electricity, and they are increasingly proposed as a companion to variable renewable power. Somali piracy, which menaced shipping routes off the Horn of Africa years ago, has seen renewed attacks on vessels and crews in the wider region.
Key Perspectives
Environmental experts: have warned against clearing the forest on the west coast, saying it will disrupt the moisture cycles that bring rain to regions far away.
Karjat residents, political groups and environmental activists: are pushing back against the large-scale felling for the plant, and staged a demonstration on Monday that prompted an almost total shutdown of activity in the city.
What to Watch
- The IMD's forecast track, with the cyclone expected to weaken into a cyclonic storm by noon and a deep depression by Tuesday midnight.
- Whether tree felling at Karjat resumes after last week's halt, and how the state responds to the Monday demonstration.
- The project's stated 2029 operational target and its requirement for 377 hectares in Raigad district.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedCyclone Murasu began hitting the Andhra Pradesh coast.DW English: “Severe cyclonic storm 'Murasu' began its landfall close to Ongole in the Prakasam district of the coastal state of Andhra Pradesh during the early hours on Tuesday.”
- SupportedProtests over tree-felling halted work in Maharashtra.DW English: “nearly 1,100 trees were cut down before the operation was halted last week amid protests. On Monday, a demonstration by residents, political groups, and environmental activists prompted an almost total shutdown of activity in Karjat.”
- SupportedThe cyclone began landfall near Ongole in Prakasam district early Tuesday.DW English: “Severe cyclonic storm 'Murasu' began its landfall close to Ongole in the Prakasam district of the coastal state of Andhra Pradesh during the early hours on Tuesday.”
- SupportedThe cyclone reportedly uprooted thousands of trees and damaged electric poles and crops along coastal Andhra Pradesh.DW English: “the cyclone reportedly has uprooted thousands of trees and damaged electric poles and crops in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh.”
- SupportedSchools and colleges were closed in at least eight Andhra Pradesh districts as a precaution.DW English: “Schools and colleges have been closed in at least eight districts in Andhra Pradesh as a precautionary measure in view of the heavy rainfall and strong winds.”
- SupportedThe IMD said the cyclone was moving north-northwest.DW English: “The cyclone, which, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), is currently moving towards the north-northwest”
- SupportedThe IMD said heavy rain was likely in south coastal Andhra Pradesh over the next 12 hours and forecast the cyclone would weaken by noon and become a deep depression by Tuesday midnight.DW English: “Heavy spells of rainfall were also likely across south coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 12 hours, IMD said. The cyclone is currently over the west central Bay of Bengal close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast and is likely to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by noon and further into a deep depression by Tuesday midnight.”
- SupportedMore than 32,000 trees are expected to be cleared for the proposed power plant.DW English: “More than 32,000 trees are expected to be cleared for construction.”
- SupportedAccording to an Indian Express report, nearly 1,100 trees were cut before the operation was halted last week amid protests.DW English: “According to a report by the Indian Express , nearly 1,100 trees were cut down before the operation was halted last week amid protests.”
- SupportedA Monday demonstration prompted an almost total shutdown of activity in Karjat.DW English: “On Monday, a demonstration by residents, political groups, and environmental activists prompted an almost total shutdown of activity in Karjat.”
- SupportedThe project is expected to disrupt distant regions’ rain-bringing moisture cycles, according to environmental experts.DW English: “environmental experts have warned against the clearing of the forest on the west coast, warning it will disrupt the moisture cycles that bring rain to regions far away.”
- SupportedThe Indian Navy rescued 20 Iranian crew members from Somali pirates in a coordinated 48-hour operation.DW English: “the Indian Navy managed to rescue 20 Iranian crew members from Somali pirates in a coordinated 48-hour operation.”