Cyclone Murasu Nears the Andhra Coast
Why in News?
- Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu was about 120 km east-southeast of Nellore in the Bay of Bengal on 2 November 2026, News On AIR reported.
- The India Meteorological Department expects landfall on the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur around midnight on 2 November, with winds of 100 to 110 km/h gusting to 120 km/h.
- It warned of storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres, according to Down To Earth, and issued a red warning for very heavy to extremely heavy rain in coastal Andhra Pradesh until 3 November.
- Murasu formed from a low-pressure area over the southern Andaman Sea on 29 October, days after Cyclone Arnab made landfall on the same coast on 28 October.
Key Terminologies
- Severe Cyclonic Storm
- The India Meteorological Department's category for a tropical cyclone with sustained winds in the range reported for Murasu, 100 to 110 km/h. Gusts can be higher.
- Storm Surge
- An abnormal rise of sea level pushed onto the coast by a cyclone's winds and low pressure. The India Meteorological Department expects 1 to 1.5 metres for Murasu.
- Landfall
- The point where the centre of a cyclone crosses the coast. Damage is greatest near and to the right of this point.
- Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre
- The World Meteorological Organization centre that names and tracks cyclones in the North Indian Ocean. The centre in New Delhi performs this role for the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
- Doppler Weather Radar
- A radar that detects rain and wind movement inside a storm. Radars at Chennai, Machilipatnam and Visakhapatnam are tracking Murasu.
Key Issues
- Fast Formation: Murasu formed over the southern Andaman Sea on 29 October and became a severe cyclonic storm within four days, Down To Earth reported. Short build-up time leaves less time for evacuation.
- Slowing Storm: The cyclone reached 27 km/h but slowed to 10 km/h in the six hours before 2:30 pm on 2 November. A slow storm stays longer over land and drops more rain.
- Surge Risk: Seawater could reach 330 metres inland in Ongole mandal and 190 metres in Bapatla mandal, with the highest surges in Bapatla, Prakasam and Krishna districts, the India Meteorological Department said.
- Repeat Storms: Arnab made landfall on the same coastline on 28 October, and four people died with about 12 missing in Odisha landslides. Soil already soaked by one storm becomes more prone to flooding after the next.
- Spillover Rain: Odisha faces yellow warnings for 19 districts and orange warnings for five southern districts, and Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal are still recovering from floods, News On AIR reported.
Key Implications
Positive/Pros/Merits
- Early Warnings: The India Meteorological Department issued red and orange rainfall warnings, a surge forecast and a landfall window ahead of time. Authorities can act before the storm arrives.
- Evacuation: Precautionary evacuations began in five Andhra Pradesh districts, and fishermen were told not to go into the Bay of Bengal until 4 November, Down To Earth reported.
- Radar Cover: Doppler radars at Chennai, Machilipatnam and Visakhapatnam track the storm, which improves forecasts of its path and rain.
- Reservoir Management: Odisha opened the Balimela reservoir gates as a precaution, which creates space ahead of heavy rain.
Negative/Cons/Demerits
- Compound Flood Risk: Heavy rain over south Odisha, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and other areas can trigger floods and landslides in places already soaked by earlier rain.
- Coastal Exposure: Low-lying villages near Ongole and Bapatla lie within reach of the surge. Crops and fishing boats are exposed.
- Livelihoods: Fishermen lose days of work because of the sea-going ban, and farm losses are possible in standing crops.
- Limited Detail: The reports do not give rainfall totals or the number evacuated, so the scale of impact is not yet clear.
Key Initiatives
- India Meteorological Department: It issues cyclone bulletins and warnings, including the red warning for coastal Andhra Pradesh, orange warnings for Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Telangana, and the fishermen advisory.
- Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre, New Delhi: It names cyclones over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Murasu is India's name on the WMO list, following Arnab, which is Bangladesh's, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
- State Governments: Andhra Pradesh began precautionary evacuations in five districts. Odisha has identified vulnerable areas, started evacuations and opened the Balimela reservoir gates.
- Tamil Nadu: It sent 500 electricity department personnel and equipment to Andhra Pradesh to restore power, The Tribune reported.
The India Meteorological Department says the storm will weaken into a depression after landfall and move north-west towards Telangana. It advised fishermen to stay out of the southeast Bay of Bengal on 2 November and the southwest Bay until Wednesday morning. State governments have placed district administrations on high alert.
Director's Perspective
Way Forward
- Publish district-wise surge inundation maps in local languages before every landfall.
- Pre-position relief and power repair teams in neighbouring States, as Tamil Nadu has done, under a standing mutual-aid plan.
- Treat back-to-back cyclones as one hazard sequence, with joint planning for drainage and slopes.
- Release rainfall totals and evacuation numbers within 24 hours of landfall.
- Support fishers with income assistance during sea-going bans.
Murasu shows both the strength and limits of cyclone management in India. Forecasts, red warnings, surge estimates and evacuations began well before landfall. Yet two storms in a week on the same coast strain soil, rivers and relief. In a Mains answer, credit the early-warning system, then conclude that future resilience depends on preparing for repeated storms, not single events.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cyclone Murasu?
Cyclone Murasu is a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal, expected to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur around midnight on 2 November 2026. The India Meteorological Department reports winds of 100 to 110 km/h, gusting to 120 km/h.
Who named Cyclone Murasu?
Murasu is India's name on the World Meteorological Organization's list of 169 names for the North Indian Ocean. It follows Arnab, which is Bangladesh's name, and the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre in New Delhi assigns names to cyclones over the Bay of Bengal.
What storm surge is expected with Cyclone Murasu?
The India Meteorological Department expects a storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres with Cyclone Murasu, according to Down To Earth on 2 November 2026. The highest surges could affect Bapatla, Prakasam and Krishna districts, and seawater could reach 330 metres inland in Ongole mandal.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Names of cyclones in the North Indian Ocean are assigned by the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre in New Delhi from a list agreed by member countries.
The list has 169 names, 13 from each of 13 member countries.
2 Murasu is a name proposed by Bangladesh.
It is India's name, and Arnab is Bangladesh's.
3 A storm surge is an abnormal rise of sea level caused by a cyclone's winds and low pressure.
The India Meteorological Department expects 1 to 1.5 metres for Murasu.