Authorities in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh have begun evacuating residents from low-lying coastal areas as Cyclone Murasu bears down on a region still recovering from a deadly cyclone last week, with the cyclone expected to cross the coast late Monday into Tuesday.
About 2,000 people had been evacuated by Monday, Prakhar Jain, managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, told the Reuters news agency. "We are planning to evacuate some 30,000 people," he said.
The India Meteorological Department said Murasu was likely to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur near the town of Ongole between 11:30pm Monday and 4am Tuesday as a severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds of around 100 to 110 kilometres per hour (60 to 70 miles per hour) and projected gusts of 120km/h (75mph).
Murasu is expected to be the second cyclone to cross the same coastline within a week. Cyclone Arnab hit last Wednesday, killing six people and destroying dozens of homes and crops, and Murasu is expected to be less intense.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to prepare for the storm, saying estimates suggested that 6,000 to 8,000 electrical poles could be damaged, posing a "severe threat to power supply". Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan wrote on X that the cyclone was set to have a severe impact on Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla and Krishna districts.
Six National Disaster Response Force teams and seven State Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed in advance, Jain said, according to IANS. ANI reported that three of the NDRF teams were sent from neighbouring Tamil Nadu. In Nellore district, Collector Himanshu Shukla urged fishermen not to go to sea and ordered officials in coastal areas to remain at their posts.
Schools have been closed in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, with rain expected to continue over parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh until Wednesday even as the storm weakens, according to ETV Bharat.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- A second cyclone in a week is hitting a coastline still recovering from Cyclone Arnab, which killed six people and destroyed dozens of homes and crops.
- The planned evacuation of some 30,000 people from low-lying areas shows the scale of risk the storm poses to coastal communities.
- Officials are warning of widespread power disruption, with an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 electrical poles at risk of damage.
Background
India's eastern seaboard, on the Bay of Bengal, is regularly hit by cyclones during the storm season. The Andhra Pradesh coast has now been struck by two significant storms within a week, the first of which, Cyclone Arnab, made landfall last Wednesday.
Key Perspectives
- India Meteorological Department: forecasts Murasu will cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of around 100 to 110 km/h and gusts to 120 km/h.
- Prakhar Jain, disaster management authority: says about 2,000 people have been evacuated so far and officials are planning to move some 30,000 in total.
- Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu: has directed officials to prepare, estimating 6,000 to 8,000 electrical poles could be damaged and warning of a "severe threat to power supply".
- Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan: wrote on X that the cyclone would have a severe impact on Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla and Krishna districts.
- Nellore Collector Himanshu Shukla: urged fishermen not to go to sea and ordered officials in coastal areas to remain at their posts.
What to Watch
- Whether the cyclone crosses the coast during the forecast window late Monday night into early Tuesday and at the predicted intensity.
- Whether rain over Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh persists until Wednesday as forecast.
- The extent of damage to power infrastructure and how quickly supply can be restored given the estimated 6,000 to 8,000 poles at risk.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedIndia has evacuated thousands as Cyclone Murasu heads for the Andhra Pradesh coast.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Thousands evacuated as India braces for second cyclone in a week. Authorities in India’s southern state of Andhra Pradesh have begun evacuating residents from low-lying coastal areas as Cyclone Murasu bears down”
- SupportedMurasu is the second storm in a week bearing down on a coastline still recovering from Cyclone Arnab.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Murasu is expected to be less intense than Cyclone Arnab, which struck the same coastline on Wednesday, killing six people and destroying dozens of homes and crops.”
- SupportedAuthorities in Andhra Pradesh have begun evacuating residents from low-lying coastal areas as the region recovers from a deadly cyclone last week.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Authorities in India’s southern state of Andhra Pradesh have begun evacuating residents from low-lying coastal areas as Cyclone Murasu bears down on a region still recovering from a deadly cyclone last week.”
- SupportedAbout 2,000 people had been evacuated by Monday.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “About 2,000 people had been evacuated by Monday, Prakhar Jain, managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, told the Reuters news agency.”
- SupportedPrakhar Jain said, “We are planning to evacuate some 30,000 people.”Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““We are planning to evacuate some 30,000 people,” he said.”
- SupportedThe IMD said Murasu was likely to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, near Ongole, from 11:30pm Monday to 4am Tuesday.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclone was likely to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur near the town of Ongole from 11:30pm (18:00 GMT) on Monday to 4am on Tuesday”
- SupportedThe IMD forecast a severe cyclonic storm with winds around 100 to 110km/h and gusts of 120km/h.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “cross south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of around 100 to 110 kilometres per hour [60 to 70 miles per hour],” IMD said, projecting gusts of 120km/h (75mph).”
- SupportedMurasu is expected to be the second cyclone to cross the same coastline within a week.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Murasu is expected to be less intense than Cyclone Arnab, which struck the same coastline on Wednesday”
- SupportedCyclone Arnab struck last Wednesday, killing six people and destroying dozens of homes and crops.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Cyclone Arnab, which struck the same coastline on Wednesday, killing six people and destroying dozens of homes and crops.”
- SupportedMurasu is expected to be less intense than Cyclone Arnab.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Murasu is expected to be less intense than Cyclone Arnab”
- SupportedNaidu directed officials to prepare for the cyclone and said estimates suggested 6,000 to 8,000 electrical poles could be damaged, posing a “severe threat to power supply”.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to prepare for the cyclone. He said estimates suggested that 6,000 to 8,000 electrical poles could be damaged, posing a “severe threat to power supply”.”
- SupportedSix NDRF teams and seven State Disaster Response Force teams had been deployed in advance, Jain said, according to IANS.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Six National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and seven State Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed in advance, Jain said, according to the IANS news agency.”