Cyclone Murasu has started making landfall near Ongole in Andhra Pradesh, and weather department officials say the crossing needs roughly two more hours to complete. Residents along the coast are being told to stay indoors and keep away from the water.

The storm has been moving slowly, covering only about 9 km per hour over the last six hours. At the time of the latest update, the system was centred 20 km from Ongole, 60 km from Bapatla, 70 km from Kavali, 110 km from Nellore and 130 km from Machilipatnam. The cyclone is expected to cross the coast close to Ongole.

Wind and rain threat across the coast

Officials have warned of strong winds blowing at 100 to 120 km per hour at the time of landfall. Heavy rain is forecast for the day the storm crosses, with downpours expected in West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, Prakasam and Nellore districts. The weather department has also issued a flash flood alert for 15 districts. Extremely heavy rain is forecast for the southern coastal belt and Rayalaseema, along with several other districts.

Storm surge fears on three coastal stretches

The weather department has warned that storm surges could hit the coastal areas of Chirala, Bapatla and Ongole. A surge can push sea water far inland in a short time, and the warning means low-lying villages on these stretches face the highest immediate risk.

Port authorities have issued danger signals at several harbours. Nizampatnam and Vadarevu harbour have hoisted signal number 10, Machilipatnam has signal number 9, and Krishnapatnam has signal number 8. Visakhapatnam, Bheemunipatnam, Gangavaram, Kakinada and Kalingapatnam continue to fly signal number 3.

The sea is already encroaching

Conditions on the coast are already turning dangerous. At Pakala beach in Singarayakonda mandal of Prakasam district, waves are rising sharply, and the sea has advanced by around 20 feet because of the cyclone. In Pallepalem of Kothapatnam mandal, the sea has moved inland and is eating into the shore. Boats have been placed across the road leading to the beach to block access.

In Nellore district, the coastline at the Juvvaladinne fishing harbour has turned rough. In Krishna district, the Avanigadda constituency is already receiving heavy rain.

Infrastructure damage on the ground

In East Godavari district, a causeway at Bobbilanka-Mirthipadu in Seethanagaram mandal has been washed away. Reports from the district show the storm is already disrupting road links, even before its centre has fully crossed the coast.

Official warnings and public instructions

Prakhar Jain, who is the SDMA-MD and RTGS CEO, has warned people to remain extremely alert. Authorities are urging residents to follow official instructions closely as the storm moves over the coast.

Prakasam district Minister Gottipati Ravi has issued a separate alert to the public, particularly residents of the Addanki constituency. He has asked people to inform officials about power problems, and to stay away from trees and electric poles. He also warned residents not to touch fallen wires.

Do not touch fallen wires. Stay away from trees and electric poles, and report power problems to officials immediately.

Telangana also under watch

The storm’s impact is not limited to Andhra Pradesh. The weather department has said that Telangana will see scattered heavy rain in several places. Thunderstorms and lightning are expected, along with rain accompanied by gusty winds.

For now, the immediate concern is the next few hours. The cyclone is still crossing the coast, the sea is already pushing into villages, and the warnings from officials make clear that the worst may still be ahead for districts stretching from Prakasam to Nellore and beyond.