Cyclone ‘Murasu’ LIVE: Deep depression intensifies into cyclonic storm 'Murasu' over Bay of Bengal, says IMD

A deep depression is a powerful, organized weather system, but a cyclonic storm is a stronger stage. Saying it intensified means its winds and circulation increased enough for the India Meteorological Department to classify it as a cyclonic storm. The change signals a greater threat to people near the coast.

The article reports that the system was over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal. It had earlier been expected to strengthen further, possibly becoming a severe cyclonic storm. Forecasts therefore focused on its movement toward Andhra Pradesh and preparations in nearby regions.

The storm was named Murasu after reaching the cyclonic-storm stage. IMD expected it to move west-northwestwards and reach the Andhra Pradesh coast around November 3. This classification does not by itself describe the full damage, but it shows why warnings, evacuations, and close monitoring became urgent.

IMD forecast sustained winds of 80–90 kmph when Murasu approached the Andhra Pradesh coast, with stronger gusts reaching 100 kmph. Winds at that level can make travel dangerous, damage weak structures, bring down branches, and disrupt electricity and communications. The precise effects depend on the storm’s track and local conditions.

The article also includes a more severe forecast from an IMD bulletin. It said the system could cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm, with winds of 100–110 kmph and gusts up to 120 kmph, between Nellore and Narsipatnam. These figures represent a stronger possible stage.

The latest assessment quoted by IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra expected a cyclonic storm to hit on November 3. He said there was a slight possibility of severe intensification, so communities had reason to prepare for the higher wind range.

Landfall means the storm’s center crosses from the sea onto land. For Murasu, IMD expected this to happen along the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of November 3. The timing mattered because coastal residents, officials, transport services, and emergency teams had limited time to prepare.

An IMD bulletin described a likely path across the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsipatnam. It also said the storm would continue moving west-northwestwards over the Bay of Bengal. That direction guided the warnings and the focus on coastal districts.

The forecast was not presented as completely fixed. IMD said the system could become a severe cyclonic storm, while the director general’s current forecast called for a cyclonic storm reaching the coast on November 3. Officials therefore monitored its strength and track as the expected landfall approached.

A cyclone reaching the coast can threaten people and property through strong winds, intense rain, flooding, and difficult travel. Coastal communities may face unsafe conditions, while homes with weak roofs or structures could be damaged. Agriculture can suffer from flooding, standing water, and wind damage to crops. These are general cyclone risks; the article does not quantify expected losses.

Murasu was forecast to bring winds of 80–90 kmph, with gusts up to 100 kmph. A bulletin also described a possible severe-cyclone crossing with 100–110 kmph winds and gusts to 120 kmph. Such winds can obstruct roads, affect power lines, and make sea and road travel hazardous.

The article specifically reports evacuation orders in Odisha and ongoing relief and rescue work after Cyclone Arnab. It does not provide a detailed impact list for Murasu or confirm particular transport closures. Actual effects would depend on the storm’s final path, strength, rainfall, and preparations.

Authorities order evacuations to move people away from places where flooding, landslides, or dangerous winds could cause injury. In this case, Odisha’s government told people in low-lying areas and hilly terrain to leave as a fresh Bay of Bengal cyclone threatened the Andhra Pradesh coast. The measure was intended to reduce exposure before conditions worsened.

The article says Odisha’s administration was already conducting relief and rescue operations in Ganjam and Gajapati districts. Cyclone Arnab had caused heavy rainfall and floods there. A new storm threat could make recovery harder and increase risks for residents, responders, and people living in vulnerable locations.

The source explicitly reports an evacuation order from the Odisha government. It does not separately describe an Andhra Pradesh evacuation order, though the storm was forecast to make landfall along that state’s coast. Andhra Pradesh therefore remained the main area under close storm monitoring and preparation.

A weather system over the Bay of Bengal can strengthen when warm ocean water transfers heat and moisture into the air above it. Rising moist air lowers pressure near the surface, while Earth’s rotation helps organize the circulation. If upper-level winds do not disrupt the system, the storm can intensify rapidly. These are established meteorological mechanisms, not details stated in the article.

The article describes Murasu’s progression from a depression to a deep depression and then a cyclonic storm. IMD also said it could become a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by November 2. That sequence shows how quickly the system’s classification changed as it gained strength.

The current forecast still included uncertainty. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the main expectation was a cyclonic storm, with a slight possibility of severe intensification. Continued monitoring was important because changes in ocean conditions, atmospheric winds, and the track could alter the storm’s strength and impacts.

Cyclones in the North Indian Ocean are named through a regional system in which participating countries submit names to an agreed list. Names are assigned when storms reach the required strength, helping officials, media, and the public distinguish one storm from another. This naming practice is established meteorological knowledge; the article only identifies India’s role in this case.

The article states that the storm would be called Murasu if it fully developed into a cyclone. It also explains that Murasu means “drum” in Tamil and that India proposed the name. The name therefore came from India’s submitted list rather than being created specifically during this storm.

After IMD reported that the deep depression had intensified into a cyclonic storm, the name Murasu was used in official updates. The source does not explain why India selected the word “drum,” so no additional motivation can be established from the article.