Cyclone Murasu is forecast to make landfall on November 3 as Andhra Pradesh and Odisha prepare for strong winds, heavy rain, flooding and landslides.

Cyclone Murasu is expected to make landfall on the Indian coast on the morning of November 3, prompting Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to place vulnerable regions on high alert as authorities prepare for heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and possible landslides.

The India Meteorological Department said a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone Murasu on Sunday, November 1. The storm is forecast to strengthen further into a very severe cyclonic storm before reaching the coast.

According to the IMD forecast, Murasu is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur with sustained wind speeds of 100 to 110 kilometres per hour and gusts reaching 120 kilometres per hour.

The approaching storm comes less than a week after Cyclone Arnab struck the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28 with winds reaching up to 150 kilometres per hour. The earlier cyclone caused widespread rain, flooding and damage in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, leaving authorities with little time to complete restoration work before preparing for another major weather system.

Odisha has stepped up preparations in its southern districts, where the impact of the previous cyclone and subsequent flooding remains visible. The meteorological centre in Bhubaneswar said rainfall is expected to begin in the state on November 2, intensify on November 3 and continue through November 4 under the influence of Cyclone Murasu.

State Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the government was fully prepared and urged residents not to panic. A high alert has already been issued in southern Odisha, including Ganjam district, which was badly affected by Cyclone Arnab.

Authorities have ordered the evacuation of people living in low lying areas and vulnerable hilly regions before the cyclone makes landfall. Landslides have become a major concern after days of intense rainfall linked to the earlier storm.

Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P Patil said the administration was managing two major tasks at the same time. Relief and restoration operations are continuing for communities affected by Cyclone Arnab and flooding, while preparations are being accelerated for Cyclone Murasu.

Ganjam and Kandhamal were among the districts hit hardest by the earlier disaster. According to officials, around 1.18 lakh people were affected, while 75,388 hectares of crop area suffered damage and 1,672 houses were damaged.

The state has also reported 10 landslides caused by heavy rainfall during the earlier cyclone, with five deaths reported in the disaster. Officials have identified around 150 locations in Gajapati district as vulnerable to landslides and planned evacuations from those areas before the latest storm reaches the coast.

In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to remain fully prepared for rescue and relief operations. Authorities expect moderate to heavy rainfall across south and central coastal districts from November 2, followed by heavy to very heavy rain in several areas on November 3 and 4.

Some locations could receive extremely heavy rainfall. Of the 20 mandals forecast to face the heaviest rain, nine are in Eluru district, five each are in Krishna and NTR districts, and one is in Bapatla.

Official estimates indicate average district rainfall could reach around 179 millimetres in Eluru, 163 millimetres in Krishna, 161 millimetres in NTR, 147 millimetres in West Godavari, 119 millimetres in Guntur and 104 millimetres in Bapatla on November 3.

The expected rainfall could sharply increase inflows into rivers, canals and reservoirs. Authorities have forecast an inflow of around 32,500 cusecs at Budameru, while heavy inflows are also expected in Errakalva, Gonelavagu, Jalleru and Pampa reservoirs.

Strong winds could also damage electricity infrastructure. Preliminary estimates suggest more than 15,000 electricity poles across 12 districts could be affected. Naidu has asked officials to prepare clear restoration timelines and communicate them to the public if power supply is disrupted.

The Chief Minister has also directed authorities to issue cyclone situation bulletins every four hours and asked telecom operators to take advance measures to prevent mobile network disruptions in severely affected areas.

Telangana could also feel the impact of the system. Weather observers expect heavy rainfall in several districts, including Nalgonda, Suryapet, Khammam, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Nagarkurnool, Mahabubabad and Bhadradri Kothagudem between November 3 and 5. Hyderabad may receive moderate rainfall during the same period.

With Cyclone Murasu rapidly approaching, disaster response agencies are racing to move vulnerable residents, protect infrastructure and reduce the risk of another major humanitarian and economic setback along India’s eastern coast. Authorities have urged people in affected areas to follow official warnings and avoid unnecessary travel as conditions deteriorate.