Cyclone Murasu Makes Landfall In Andhra; 19 Flights Cancelled, Storm Surge Warning: Top Updates

Severe cyclonic storm Murasu made landfall along the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole early Tuesday, with its eye entering the coast and a major portion of its wall cloud moving over land, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The landfall point lies between Nellore and Narsapur. A storm surge of 1-1.5 metres above the astronomical tide could also inundate low-lying areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh. While parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have already witnessed heavy rainfall, neighbouring Odisha has stepped up preparations to deal with the cyclone's impact amid concerns over fresh damage following Cyclone Arnab.

Here are the top developments. The IMD has warned that a storm surge of 1-1.5 metres above the astronomical tide could flood low-lying areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh until the morning of November 3. Bapatla, Krishna and Prakasam districts are expected to face the maximum impact of the surge, which will gradually weaken.

The weather department has also forecast heavy spells of rainfall along the south Andhra coast over the next 12 hours. Gale winds of 100-110 kmph, with gusts reaching 120 kmph, are likely to continue along and off the coast until morning, the IMD said.

The Andhra Pradesh government has introduced a dedicated grievance reporting mechanism to help residents in cyclone-affected areas seek assistance during emergencies. People can report power outages, uprooted trees, collapsed walls, waterlogging and other disruptions by messaging the dedicated WhatsApp number 9552300009.

The facility is intended to connect residents directly with the administration and enable quicker intervention by ground teams. Citizens can access the service through the following steps:1. Send "Hi" to WhatsApp number 9552300009.2.

Select the "Services" option from the menu.3. Choose "Murasu Cyclone Issues".4. Click on "Report Issue" and confirm.5. Select "Registration" and provide details such as name, district and mandal.19 Flights Cancelled At Andhra AirportsAt least 19 domestic flights were cancelled at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati airports as Cyclone Murasu approached the coast.

Vijayawada Airport Director M Lakshmi Kantha Reddy said IndiGo cancelled 10 flights, while Air India Express cancelled two. Four flights were also cancelled at Visakhapatnam airport and three at Tirupati airport. Chennai airport authorities also cancelled some flights and advised passengers to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to remain on alert as moderate to heavy rainfall and strong winds were expected across south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema. Naidu expressed hope that the cyclone's impact would remain limited, citing forecasts of lower wind speeds and rainfall intensity compared with Cyclone Arnab.

The state energy department has also put power utilities on high alert, directing officials to take precautionary measures to protect electricity infrastructure and minimise disruptions to power supply. Energy Minister G Ravi Kumar asked distribution companies to remain particularly vigilant in vulnerable areas.

Tamil Nadu has extended assistance to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh by deploying three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 90 personnel. The state has also sent 25 electricity department teams, with 500 personnel and essential equipment, to assist with emergency response and power restoration.

Karnataka has separately announced that it will send 500 skilled electricity department personnel along with equipment to help repair infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Arnab. Several parts of Chennai, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur districts have witnessed heavy rainfall, with showers continuing since Sunday night.

The weather department has warned of very heavy rainfall in Chennai and Tiruvallur, while heavy showers are expected in Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Vellore and the Nilgiris.