Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Reviews Cyclone Murasu Threat, Cancels Delhi Trip

Amaravati, November 1 (Daily Kiran) : Chief Minister N. Chandrababu of Andhra Pradesh convened a meeting on Sunday to assess the potential impact of Cyclone ‘Murasu’ as it approaches the state. The review involved senior officials and focused on forecasts for rainfall and wind, as well as the status of local reservoirs.

Due to the escalating threat posed by the cyclone, the Chief Minister has canceled his scheduled trip to Delhi on Monday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a cyclone alert for Andhra Pradesh and the northern coast of Tamil Nadu, noting that a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm.

Cyclone ‘Murasu’ is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm and make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast between November 2 and 3. By the morning of November 2, it is anticipated that the cyclone will further intensify, potentially bringing winds of 100 to 110 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching up to 120 kilometers per hour, impacting areas between Nellore and Narsapur.

The Chief Minister also reviewed precautionary measures for the regions likely to be affected. Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected in southern and central coastal districts on November 2, with the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall in some areas. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecasted for multiple locations on November 3 and 4.

Officials have identified 20 mandals at risk of extremely heavy rainfall, with nine in Eluru district, five in Krishna, five in NTR, and one in Bapatla district. Rainfall estimates for November 3 include approximately 179 mm in Eluru, 163 mm in Krishna, 161 mm in NTR, 147 mm in West Godavari, 119 mm in Guntur, and 104 mm in Bapatla.

Budameru is expected to experience a flow of about 32,500 cusecs, and significant flooding may occur in water bodies such as Errakalva, Gonelavagu, Jalleru, and Pampa. Preliminary estimates suggest that high winds could damage between 12,102 and 15,128 electric poles across 12 districts.

The Chief Minister was also briefed on the damage and relief efforts following Cyclone Arnab, which struck on October 28. He inquired about the restoration of electricity supply in the affected areas, and officials assured him that power would be restored to all impacted regions by Sunday night.