Cyclone Murasu's landfall begins near Ongole as Odisha evacuates 1.6 lakh people

Landfall begins near Ongole

Severe cyclonic storm Murasu began its landfall process close to Ongole in Prakasam district in the early hours of 3 November, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The cyclone started making landfall around 1 am, bringing heavy rainfall accompanied by gale winds reaching speeds of up to 110 kmph and gusting up to 120 kmph.

The IMD said the landfall process commenced at 0100 hours IST on 3 November, with the forward sector of the wall cloud entering the coast. As of 1:30 am, the cyclone was centred over the west-central Bay of Bengal close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast, about 40 km southeast of Ongole, 60 km northeast of Kavali and 70 km south of Bapatla.

The department said the landfall point was expected between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole, and that gale-force winds of nearly 110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, were likely to prevail along and off the coast until morning. Heavy spells of rainfall were also likely across south coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 12 hours.

Storm surge warning for the coast

A storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide was likely to inundate low-lying areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh until the morning of 3 November, the IMD said. The maximum peak surge was expected over Bapatla, Krishna and Prakasam districts.

Heavy rain had already struck several places in the southern state under the influence of the cyclone, and flights were cancelled as the storm approached. The IMD had forecast that Murasu would cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm with sustained winds of 100 to 110 kmph and gusts up to 120 kmph.

Odisha evacuates nearly 1.6 lakh people

In Odisha, the state government stepped up preparedness in vulnerable areas and evacuated nearly 1.6 lakh people to safety in three districts as Murasu advanced towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, the Revenue and Disaster Management department said. Eight districts — Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Puri — were placed on heavy rainfall alert.

Ganjam district, which bore the brunt of Cyclone Arnab days earlier, carried out an extensive evacuation operation, setting a target of relocating 2,94,752 people, of whom 1,51,434 had already been shifted to safer locations. A total of 1,139 shelters, including 110 permanent and 1,029 temporary facilities with a combined capacity of 3,41,700 people, were kept ready.

In Kandhamal, 2,394 people, including 848 men, 1,030 women and 450 children, were accommodated in 35 permanent shelters, while the Koraput administration shifted 500 people to permanent shelters. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state government was fully prepared and urged people not to panic but to remain alert.

Schools shut in Odisha districts

Several Odisha districts closed educational institutions as a precaution. In Kandhamal, schools up to Class 12 stayed closed on 3 and 4 November, while examinations and other programmes continued as scheduled. In Rayagada, all Anganwadi centres remained closed on 3 and 4 November, with no pre-school classes or activities.

In Malkangiri, all government and private schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres were closed from 2 to 4 November in view of the IMD forecast of heavy to very heavy rainfall. In Ganjam, schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres remained closed until 3 November. Officials said the closures were a precautionary step and that no general closure of offices had been announced.

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