Cyclone Murasu Nears Landfall Along Andhra Coast, Heavy Rain Alert Issued

Cyclone Murasu, which has been moving towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, is currently undergoing the landfall process. The weather department estimates that it may take another two hours for the process to be completed. The system has moved at a speed of around 9 kmph over the past six hours and has come closer to the coastline. It is currently centred approximately 20 km from Ongole, 60 km from Bapatla, 70 km from Kavali, 110 km from Nellore and 130 km from Machilipatnam. Officials expect the cyclone to cross the coast near Ongole, bringing strong winds of 100–120 kmph during landfall.

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is likely in several districts, including West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, Prakasam and Nellore. Prakhar Jain, Managing Director of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and CEO of RTGS, has urged people to remain alert and avoid going outdoors unless absolutely necessary. He said the administration was prepared to move residents of low-lying areas to safer locations and directed officials across departments to remain on high alert and monitor relief operations. In view of the cyclone, district collectors have declared holidays for educational institutions in Bapatla, Nellore, Palnadu, Krishna, NTR, Prakasam and Guntur districts. Authorities have advised residents to follow official updates and safety instructions.