Cyclone Murasu batters A.P.; two dead, 52,459 hectares of crops damaged

Uprooted neem trees block the road between Naguluppalapadu and Amanabrolu in Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, on November 3, 2026, disrupting traffic after Cyclone Murasu brought strong winds and heavy rain to the region. | Photo Credit: Kommuri Srinivas At least two people were killed on Tuesday (November 3, 2026) after severe cyclonic storm Murasu hit south coastal Andhra Pradesh, destroying standing crops spread over 52,459 hectares and damaging 312 houses, and power transmission lines.Follow the updates of Cyclone Murasu on November 3, 2026.Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority managing director Prakhar Jain confirmed the deaths and said 12,230 people are currently in rehabilitation centres in Guntur, Bapatla, and Palnadu districts, the worst-affected by the cyclone.Mr. Jain told The Hindu that the two rain-related deaths took place in Bapatla district. “A 25-year-old man in Chinnaganjam and a 65-year-old woman in Karamchedu lost their lives after buildings collapsed on them,” he said.Murasu, which crossed the coast near Ongole in Prakasam district between 3.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m., brought heavy rain to the parched districts of Prakasam and Palnadu, and left a trail of destruction in Guntur, Bapatla, and Palnadu districts.Mr. Jain said preliminary reports estimated losses of ₹344 crore and added that the damage was less severe than that caused by Cyclone Arnab last week.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the observed maximum sustained wind speed during Murasu’s landfall was 110-120 kmph. Prakasam and Bapatla districts received very heavy rainfall of around 200 mm between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Tuesday.Over 30 trees fell on roads and another 300 were uprooted across eight villages in Prakasam district; more than 200 cell towers were affected.After landfall, the system moved northwestwards, bringing very heavy rainfall to NTR and Palnadu districts, which share a border with Telangana, and Bapatla district. The Budameru rivulet in NTR district, which triggered floods in Vijayawada in 2024, is expected to receive copious inflow, forcing officials to shift people living in low-lying areas to rehabilitation centres.Between 8.30 a.m. and 9 p.m., Marripalem in Palnadu district recorded the day’s highest rainfall of 263.75 mm, followed by Ganapavaram at 246.7 mm; Konanki in Bapatla district recorded 213.25 mm of rainfall. Five weather stations, four in Palnadu and one in Bapatla, recorded extremely heavy rainfall above 204.5 mm, and 21 stations in Guntur, Prakasam, and West Godavari districts recorded rainfall above 100 mm.The system, which weakened into a cyclonic storm by noon, is expected to weaken further into a deep depression by Tuesday night (November 3), all the while moving northwestwards towards Telangana, IMD said.Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the government had effectively dealt with Arnab and Murasu, which hit the Andhra coast within a week. The response was centred on saving lives and limiting property damage, he said, thanking the Centre and the governments of Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu for offering help.Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Mr. Naidu and said the Centre “stands with the people of Andhra Pradesh with a firm resolve to face any kind of situation”. “Already, NDRF and SDRF teams are on the ground, undertaking relief measures and standing as a support for the people in the cyclone-affected areas,” he wrote on X.The inclement weather disrupted transport and left commuters stranded at several locations. More than 35 trains were cancelled, 14 were diverted, and eight were rescheduled. A number of flights were also cancelled. Published - November 03, 2026 10:25 pm IST