India evacuates coastal Andhra Pradesh as Cyclone Murasu nears landfall

Authorities in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh have begun evacuating residents from low-lying coastal areas as Cyclone Murasu approaches the south India coast. The storm is expected to make landfall near Ongole late on Monday or early on Tuesday, with officials warning of severe winds and heavy rain. The state is still recovering from a deadly cyclone last week, adding to concern over the impact of the new system.

About 2,000 people had already been moved to safer locations by Monday, according to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority. Officials say they are planning to evacuate around 30,000 people in total. The India Meteorological Department said the cyclone is likely to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur near Ongole, with wind speeds of 100 to 110 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 120 kilometres per hour.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to prepare for the storm, while Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said the cyclone was expected to have a severe impact on Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla and Krishna districts. Authorities have also deployed six National Disaster Response Force teams and seven State Disaster Response Force teams ahead of the landfall. Three of the federal response teams were sent from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, underlining the scale of the preparation effort.

The warning comes at a sensitive time for Andhra Pradesh, where officials are still dealing with the effects of a cyclone that struck the same coastline last week and killed six people. The latest storm raises the risk of further damage to homes, crops and power infrastructure in a region that is already under strain. Officials have said they expect between 6,000 and 8,000 electrical poles could be damaged, which could create a serious threat to electricity supply.

The immediate focus is on evacuation, coastal safety and keeping essential services functioning as the storm moves inland. In Nellore district, Collector Himanshu Shukla has urged fishermen not to go to sea and ordered officials in coastal areas to remain at their posts. Schools have been closed in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, while rain is expected to continue across parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh even after the cyclone weakens.

What remains unclear is the full extent of damage once Murasu crosses the coast and how quickly services can be restored if winds and flooding are severe. The next key update will be whether the storm follows the projected track near Ongole and whether the planned evacuations are completed before landfall. Officials are also likely to assess whether the region can avoid the kind of destruction seen in the previous cyclone.

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