Cyclone Murasu crosses Andhra coast near Ongole, then weakens
Cyclone Murasu hit the coast of Andhra Pradesh in India near Ongole early Tuesday, India time, the Indian Express and The Hindu report. The national rescue force first said no one had died so far, PTI reports. Later, the head of the state disaster agency said at least two people died, according to PTI.
Cyclone Murasu crossed the south coast of Andhra Pradesh in India near Ongole early Tuesday, India time. The storm then began to weaken over land.
The India Meteorological Department said Murasu crossed the coast between 3.30 and 5.30 in the morning on Tuesday, with winds of 100 to 110 km/h, the Indian Express reports. An earlier IMD update said winds gusted up to 120 km/h, the paper reports.
The Hindu reports that landfall came around 4 in the morning, between Kothapatnam in Prakasam district and Chinaganjam in Bapatla district. It puts gusts near 150 km/h. The storm tore down hundreds of trees, damaged power poles and cut mobile service, the paper reports.
The National Disaster Response Force said Tuesday that no deaths had been recorded in the state, PTI reports. Later on Tuesday, Prakhar Jain, who heads the state disaster agency, gave a different count. “At least two people died in severe cyclone Murasu-related incidents in Andhra Pradesh,” he said, according to PTI copy carried by the Indian Express. He said 12,230 people were in relief centres.
In Prakasam district, more than 2,100 people were moved and no deaths were reported, The Hindu reports. The paper spoke with the district's top official, Collector P. Raja Babu. He said about 1,000 acres of rice fields were under water. He said life would return to normal by Wednesday.
Amit Shah, India's home minister, offered help from the central government. “The Government of India stands with the people of Andhra Pradesh with a firm resolve to face any kind of situation,” he wrote on X, the Indian Express reports.
The IMD said Murasu weakened on Tuesday afternoon. It expects the storm to weaken into a deep depression by midnight, the Indian Express reports.
What we know: Murasu crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole early Tuesday, as IMD bulletins show.
What we don't: The final death toll and the full cost of the damage.
Where outlets agree The IMD bulletins cited by the Indian Express and the report in The Hindu agree that Murasu made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast early Tuesday.
Where they differ The Hindu puts gusts near 150 km/h at landfall, while the IMD update quoted by the Indian Express gives gusts of up to 120 km/h.