Cyclone Murasu Nov. 3 | Red alert lifted from two Telangana districts; issued for Suryapet, Khammam and Bhadradri

At 1 AM today, Cyclone Murasu made landfall near Kothapatnam, close to Ongole in Andhra Pradesh, bringing with it extremely heavy rains and winds blowing at a speed of 150 km per hour. The cyclone wreaked havoc in the districts of Nellore, Prakasam, and Bapatla, uprooting hundreds of trees. Despite the force of the storm, power lines remained largely intact, with electricity poles appearing to have withstood the gale.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu convened a teleconference with district collectors and officials at 3:30 AM to assess the situation. Officials confirmed that the cyclone would cross the coast by 6:30 AM. Unlike previous cyclones where residents were severely injured by fallen power lines, this time Chief Minister Naidu emphasized the importance of exercising caution. He urged people to avoid venturing onto roads in cyclone-affected areas until all debris and obstructions were cleared.

Electricity department officials reported that no power poles had fallen, and there was no disruption to the power supply in the affected regions.