Cyclone Murasu Weakens Into Depression Over India's East Telangana And Andhra Pradesh

The severe cyclonic storm Murasu has weakened into a depression over east Telangana and the adjoining regions of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, according to the latest bulletin from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) released on Wednesday. Operating under continuous surveillance by Doppler Weather Radars located in Machilipatnam and Visakhapatnam, the weather system is anticipated to downgrade further into a well-marked low-pressure area over the course of the next twelve hours while continuing its northward trajectory.

Based on meteorological observations recorded at 5:30 a.m. IST on November 4, the depression was tracking nearly northward at a speed of approximately 10 kilometers per hour. The center of the system was identified near latitude 17.0°N and longitude 80.1°E. This positioned the storm about 30 kilometers northwest of Nandigama in Andhra Pradesh, 30 kilometers south of Khammam in Telangana, 80 kilometers northwest of Vijayawada, 90 kilometers east of Nalgonda, and 110 kilometers southwest of Bhadrachalam.

Ahead of the weakening trend, the cyclone made landfall along the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole, leaving a trail of heavy downpours, uprooted trees, and disrupted infrastructure across districts such as Prakasam, Bapatla, Krishna, Palnadu, NTR, Eluru, West Godavari, and East Godavari. Power grids and transportation networks suffered considerable strain as floodwaters inundated low-lying localities and blocked major roadways.

Preliminary damage assessments from the State Disaster Management Authority indicated that at least two people lost their lives in cyclone-related incidents. Furthermore, 312 houses sustained structural damage, and roughly 12,230 displaced residents were sheltered in safety centers. State officials noted that preliminary economic losses have reached approximately 344 crore rupees, with heavy precipitation affecting standing crops across more than 52,000 hectares of farmland.

Local transportation faced extensive delays and temporary suspensions as a result of the severe weather. Nusrat M. Mandrupkar, public relations officer for the Vijayawada Division, stated that train services along the Vijayawada-Ongole-Gudur railway route were temporarily suspended. In total, 29 passenger trains were impacted, requiring regulatory holds on 19 up trains and 10 down trains.

In neighboring Odisha, authorities avoided the severe destruction seen in Andhra Pradesh as the state largely escaped the worst of the system. Southern districts in Odisha received only light rainfall under the influence of the storm, though regional governments had previously deployed senior administrators and disaster response teams to coordinate potential emergency evacuations.

Meteorological officials have urged residents remaining in affected zones to stay alert and strictly abide by instructions issued by local authorities. As emergency crews continue clearing blocked roads and restoring downed power lines, passengers and residents have been advised to monitor official transportation channels and weather advisories for ongoing updates.