Cyclone Murasu's eye touches Andhra's coast as landfall continues; heavy rain, 120 kmph winds batter shore

Landfall is the stage when a cyclone’s center crosses from the sea onto land. It matters because coastal communities then face the storm’s strongest winds, heaviest rain, and possible flooding. For Murasu, the process began around 0100 hours IST on November 3.

The landfall occurred close to Ongole in Prakasam district. The IMD had identified the coastal stretch between Nellore and Narsapur as the expected landfall zone. At about 1.30 a.m., the cyclone was around 40 kilometers southeast of Ongole, 60 kilometers northeast of Kavali, and 70 kilometers south of Bapatla.

The IMD said the forward part of the wall cloud was entering the coast, while the main wall cloud was very close. Gale winds near 110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, were expected along and off the coast until morning. Heavy rain and coastal flooding remained immediate concerns.

For a tropical cyclone, landfall means the storm’s center, usually near its eye, crosses the coastline. It is a key moment because the cyclone begins interacting directly with land, bringing severe weather to populated coastal areas. Landfall does not mean the storm immediately disappears.

The eye is the central region of a cyclone. It is surrounded by the eyewall, where winds and rain are generally strongest. The article uses “wall cloud” for the dense ring or cloud region around the center. Murasu’s forward wall-cloud sector entered the coast first, and the eye followed.

This sequence explains the IMD’s wording that the wall cloud was entering land while the eye was entering the coast. Even after the center crosses inland, the storm’s outer bands can continue producing heavy rain and strong gusts. Coastal districts therefore remained under warnings during and after landfall.

Murasu was classified as a severe cyclonic storm, with gale-force winds near 110 kmph and gusts up to 120 kmph. These winds can damage structures, uproot trees, disrupt power, and make coastal travel dangerous. The IMD expected them along and off the coast until morning.

Heavy rainfall was forecast across South Coastal Andhra Pradesh during the following 12 hours. The article does not provide a rainfall total or measurement. It does report a storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide, with the highest peak surge expected over Bapatla, Krishna, and Prakasam districts.

The combined threat mattered more than any single figure. Wind could cause direct damage, while rain could create flooding inland. The surge could push seawater into low-lying coastal areas. Red warnings were issued for six districts, showing the expected seriousness of the conditions.

The IMD issued red warnings for Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, NTR, and Prakasam districts. A red warning signals a serious risk from the cyclone’s expected conditions. These districts faced heavy rainfall, powerful winds, and possible coastal inundation as Murasu approached and crossed the coast.

Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea until the morning of November 4. The IMD also ordered a total suspension of offshore and onshore operations until warnings could be reviewed. The reported winds were near 110 kmph, with gusts up to 120 kmph, while a storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres was possible.

These restrictions reduced exposure to hazardous seas and dangerous work conditions. The next step was continued monitoring of IMD warnings. Operations could be reviewed later, but the article does not state when they would resume or whether the warnings would be extended.

Storm surge is a temporary rise in sea level driven by a cyclone’s winds and pressure. When it is measured above the astronomical tide, it is added to the tide that would normally occur. That extra water can move inland across beaches, river mouths, and low-lying coastal areas.

The IMD forecast a surge of 1 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh until Tuesday morning. It expected the maximum peak surge over Bapatla, Krishna, and Prakasam districts. The surge could inundate low-lying areas, especially where the land is close to sea level.

Flooding can threaten homes, roads, fields, and coastal operations, although the article does not list specific damage. Because the surge arrived alongside heavy rain and winds near 110 kmph, local flooding risks were greater. Residents and authorities needed to follow warnings through the morning.

A cyclone can produce extreme weather near land because its organized circulation has built over the sea before arrival. Moist air feeds heavy rain, while the rotating system concentrates powerful winds around its central wall cloud. The most dangerous conditions often occur near the eyewall and surrounding bands.

Murasu’s wall cloud was entering the coast as its eye approached. The IMD reported gale winds near 110 kmph and gusts up to 120 kmph. It also forecast heavy rainfall across South Coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 12 hours. A storm surge could rise 1 to 1.5 metres above the astronomical tide.

Moving inland does not switch off these hazards at once. Rainbands can continue crossing districts, and strong gusts can persist while the circulation weakens. The article identified Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu as the areas likely to be worst hit, with red warnings in six Andhra districts.

After landfall, a cyclone usually weakens because it is cut off from the warm ocean surface that supplies moisture and energy. Rough land also creates more friction than water, disrupting the storm’s circulation. Mountains, dry air, and cooler surfaces can weaken it further, though these factors are not specifically described in the article.

The danger does not end when the eye crosses the coast. Murasu’s wall cloud was entering land while its eye approached, and its outer rainbands could continue bringing heavy rain. Winds near 110 kmph, with gusts up to 120 kmph, were expected along and off the coast until morning.

The forecast also included a 1 to 1.5-metre storm surge above the astronomical tide. That surge could inundate low-lying areas until Tuesday morning. Therefore, warnings for rain, wind, flooding, and dangerous seas remained important after landfall began.