Cyclone Murasu Slams India's East Coast, Causing Widespread Damage and Evacuations

India's eastern coast is bracing for the impact of Cyclone Murasu, which made landfall on Tuesday, November 2, 2026, near Ongole in the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. The severe cyclonic storm, the second to hit the region in a week after Cyclone Arnab, brought with it uprooted trees, toppled electricity poles, and flooding in low-lying areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of heavy to very heavy rainfall across several districts throughout the day.

As of now, no casualties have been reported, according to Prakhar Jain, the managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority. However, extensive damage has been reported in the Prakasam and Bapatla districts, with thousands of trees felled, hundreds of power poles damaged, and fishing boats wrecked. Standing crops have also been affected, and many areas are submerged.

Authorities had initiated evacuation procedures on Monday, with plans to relocate approximately 30,000 people to safety in Andhra Pradesh. "This is the most dangerous cyclone we have witnessed in the last 14 years," stated Krishnamma, a fisherman from Kothapatnam in Prakasam district, noting that about 400 families from his village were moved before the storm's arrival.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed on X that he had discussed the cyclone's impact with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, assuring him of full assistance from the Central Government. National and state disaster response teams are already deployed on the ground.

Cyclone Murasu formed over the Bay of Bengal, a region prone to severe storms impacting India's east coast. This follows closely after Cyclone Arnab caused significant damage in Andhra Pradesh and the neighboring state of Odisha. The IMD predicts that Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will bear the brunt of Murasu, with heavy rainfall also affecting Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Odisha.