Severe cyclonic storm Murasu crossed the coastline of south Andhra Pradesh during the early hours of Tuesday, unleashing torrential rain and fierce wind gusts that reached up to 120 kmph. The tempest knocked down numerous non-permanent houses and triggered widespread disruption across coastal settlements. As disaster mitigation teams work across Andhra Pradesh, neighboring Odisha has launched a massive precautionary evacuation drive to move hundreds of thousands of vulnerable residents to designated shelters.
Landfall Near Ongole and Wind Trajectory
According to observations from the India Meteorological Department, the storm system made landfall between Nellore and Narsapur, crossing close to Ongole between 3:30 am and 5:30 am on Tuesday. Sustained surface winds hovered between 100 and 110 kmph during the crossing phase, with peak gusts frequently hitting 120 kmph. By 5:30 am, the center of the severe cyclone remained located over south coastal Andhra Pradesh in close proximity to Ongole.
At that stage, the storm was positioned roughly 40 km southwest of Bapatla, 80 km north-northeast of Kavali, and 120 km west-southwest of Machilipatnam. Forecasters project that the system will advance in a north-northwest direction while undergoing progressive weakening. By Tuesday afternoon, it is likely to downgrade into a cyclonic storm carrying sustained speeds of 80 to 90 kmph with gusts up to 100 kmph. Later, by midnight, the weather system is expected to diminish further into a deep depression, bringing winds down to 55 to 65 kmph and gusts of around 75 kmph.
Safety Protocols and Government Directives
In response to the deteriorating weather conditions along the coast, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu issued urgent instructions to district administrations and emergency personnel. He directed authorities to ensure that residents in cyclone-hit regions do not venture onto roads or out of safe structures during active weather. Emphasizing the prevention of casualties, the Chief Minister instructed officials to execute every precautionary measure necessary to curb structural and property damage.
Digital Assistance via WhatsApp Governance
To deliver immediate relief and streamline grievance tracking for storm-affected populations, the Andhra Pradesh administration rolled out a dedicated channel through its 'Mana Mitra' WhatsApp governance platform. Managed by the Real Time Governance Society, this emergency mechanism enables citizens in impacted localities to report power outages, fallen trees, collapsed boundary walls, severe waterlogging, and related crises without procedural delays.
Residents can initiate assistance by sending the word 'Hi' to the mobile contact 9552300009 on WhatsApp. After sending the greeting, users select the 'Services' option, navigate to 'Murasu Cyclone Issues', and click on 'Report Issue' to submit and confirm their emergency request. Authorities established this protocol to foster direct communication between affected families and relief control centers, thereby accelerating the deployment of ground recovery personnel.
Precautionary Relocation in Odisha Districts
Simultaneously, the administration in Odisha has escalated precautionary measures across five vulnerable districts. Several of these communities were still recovering from sudden flash floods and intense rainfall triggered by Cyclone Arnab when Murasu emerged on the horizon. Recognizing the compounding hazard, the state government relocated a total of 1,60,021 people to secure cyclone shelters.
The proactive rescue drive spans Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, and Kandhamal districts. Local authorities across these jurisdictions established an overall evacuation target of 3,33,752 individuals residing in low-lying and fragile habitations. Field teams are continuing relocation operations around the clock to meet the targeted threshold and safeguard vulnerable families from potential inundation and storm hazards.
