Helping hand: On Cyclones Arnab and Murasu

Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28. Cyclone Murasu followed on November 3. Their back-to-back landfalls tested the State’s disaster preparations and response systems. The storms also affected neighbouring Odisha, showing that cyclone impacts can extend beyond the landfall location.

Arnab caused estimated damage of roughly ₹4,526 crore in Andhra Pradesh. It also damaged nearly 90,000 hectares of standing crops in southern Odisha. Initial estimates for Murasu showed that about 52,500 hectares of standing crops were affected in Andhra Pradesh. These figures show both direct property losses and serious risks to farmers’ incomes.

The two cyclones together caused seven reported deaths. Authorities used advance planning, technology and rescue teams to limit the human toll. Personnel from Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu joined rescue efforts in Andhra Pradesh. Further assessments and government funds were expected to support affected States.

The reported human toll from Cyclones Arnab and Murasu was seven deaths. This relatively low figure is especially notable because the storms struck in succession and affected large farming areas. The article links the outcome to long-term preparedness, swift official action and technology-supported disaster management.

The first cyclone damaged nearly 90,000 hectares of standing crops in southern Odisha. Initial estimates for Murasu showed damage to about 52,500 hectares of standing crops in Andhra Pradesh. Added together, those reported areas amount to about 142,500 hectares, although the article presents them as separate preliminary figures.

The article gives an estimated ₹4,526 crore in damage from Arnab in Andhra Pradesh. It does not provide one combined rupee estimate for both cyclones. Damage assessments were still underway, and the Union government was expected to release an initial instalment of funds to affected States after on-the-spot assessments.

A cyclone is a large, rotating tropical storm with powerful winds, heavy rain and low air pressure. It forms over warm ocean water and can intensify before reaching land. Cyclones matter because they can damage homes, roads, public infrastructure and crops while also causing floods and dangerous coastal conditions.

A cyclone makes landfall when the storm’s centre, or circulation, crosses from the sea onto the coast. The storm may continue bringing strong winds and rain after that crossing. Landfall is therefore a key moment for emergency agencies because communities, farms and infrastructure face the storm’s direct effects.

The article records Arnab making landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28. Murasu crossed the same coast on November 3. Their close timing created a demanding test for preparedness and rescue systems. The article does not provide a technical definition, but this standard meaning explains why the two dates are central to its account.

Advance preparedness gives authorities time to monitor storms, organise evacuations and protect exposed communities and infrastructure. A swift response then helps deliver rescue, relief and medical assistance before danger spreads. Together, these measures can reduce deaths and limit damage, even when storms remain powerful.

Andhra Pradesh deployed the Real Time Governance Society, or RTGS, along with other technologies. The article says this significantly reduced human casualties and property damage. Rescue personnel from Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu also travelled to Andhra Pradesh. Their involvement added emergency capacity during the back-to-back storms.

The result was seven reported deaths from Arnab and Murasu. This outcome does not mean losses were avoided: crops and property still suffered major damage. However, it shows the value of preparedness, real-time coordination and inter-State support. The article argues that cooperation with science and technology institutions should become stronger as natural disasters grow more frequent.

Cyclone Hudhud, which struck Andhra Pradesh in October 2014, produced a much heavier reported human toll than Arnab and Murasu. Hudhud caused 63 deaths and damage estimated at nearly ₹22,000 crore. The comparison highlights how disaster preparation and response can change outcomes.

Arnab and Murasu together caused seven reported deaths. Arnab’s damage in Andhra Pradesh was estimated at roughly ₹4,526 crore. The two newer cyclones still affected extensive farmland: Arnab damaged nearly 90,000 hectares in southern Odisha, while Murasu affected about 52,500 hectares in Andhra Pradesh.

The figures do not provide a complete combined cost for Arnab and Murasu, so the financial comparison is limited. Even so, the lower death toll coincided with long-term preparedness, RTGS technology and rapid rescue operations. The article presents this progress as important while warning that crop and infrastructure losses still require stronger insurance and recovery support.

State governments lead much of the immediate work, including local assessments, rescue coordination and support for affected communities. The Union government helps by releasing funds after preliminary assessments and by supporting large recovery and reconstruction needs. Both levels therefore matter, because disasters damage local assets but can exceed a State’s financial capacity.

The National and State Disaster Response Funds were initially intended for response and relief. After the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendation, recovery and reconstruction were added as components two years before this article. The Union government was expected to release the first instalment after on-the-spot assessments of flood-hit areas.

The article says the Centre should provide additional assistance when public infrastructure suffers extensive damage. State governments must also help farmers and raise awareness about crop insurance. Rescue personnel from Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu assisted Andhra Pradesh. This sharing of resources reflects the article’s call for cooperation between the Union and States.

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is a crop insurance scheme launched by the Union government about a decade ago. Its purpose is to provide farmers with financial protection when natural events damage crops. Such protection matters because cyclones can destroy standing crops even when authorities successfully prevent large numbers of deaths.

The article says the scheme has not given farmers comprehensive safety cover. Farmers continue to suffer from the vagaries of nature, and not all farmers are sufficiently encouraged to insure their crops. The scale of recent losses shows the problem: Arnab damaged nearly 90,000 hectares in southern Odisha, while Murasu affected about 52,500 hectares in Andhra Pradesh.

The article calls for improvements so every farmer is encouraged to join the scheme. State governments should raise awareness and top up benefits under the insurance cover. It also urges an effective compensation framework for crop losses. Better insurance and direct assistance would strengthen recovery after future disasters.