Safety · Sunday, November 1, 2026
Cyclone Murasu aims for India's Andhra Pradesh coast
The File desk · Nov. 1, 2026, 7:36 a.m. ET
Partially confirmed5 primary sourcesAdded 7:36 a.m. ET, Nov. 1
Status
Partially confirmed. The storm, its forecast, the warnings and the expected damage are Confirmed, from the India Meteorological Department's bulletin issued 4 a.m. ET Sunday. District red alerts, the chief minister's cancelled trip, Arnab's losses and Odisha's evacuation orders come from Indian news reports, not from government pages this desk read. The GDACS figure is a model estimate.
- ConfirmedCyclonic Storm Murasu is very likely to strengthen and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur between 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday, with winds of 100 to 110 km/h gusting to 120, a storm surge of about 1 meter and extremely heavy rain in places (India Meteorological Department).
- Partially confirmedRed alerts for Monday in five Andhra Pradesh districts, the chief minister's cancelled Delhi trip and the state's 4,600 crore rupee loss from Arnab (via The Hindu); Odisha's high alert and evacuation orders (via India Today).
- ConfirmedGDACS, a United Nations and European Commission alert system, issued a red alert, its highest level; its model estimates about 1.2 million people could face winds of 120 km/h or more, an estimate rather than a count (GDACS).
A new cyclone, Murasu, formed over the Bay of Bengal early Sunday and is forecast to come ashore in India's Andhra Pradesh on Monday afternoon, ET, barely a week after Cyclone Arnab struck the same state. India's weather department warns that a storm surge, seawater pushed onto land by a storm's winds, could flood low-lying coastal land, along with gusts up to 120 km/h, about 75 mph, and extremely heavy rain in places.13
The India Meteorological Department said the storm strengthened into Cyclonic Storm Murasu at 1 a.m. ET Sunday, about six hours after it had become a deep depression. It was then about 630 km, about 390 miles, east-southeast of Nellore and about 560 km, about 350 miles, east-southeast of Chennai. It is moving west-northwest at about 23 km/h, about 14 mph, and is very likely to become a severe cyclonic storm by Monday morning, India time.1 The name comes from India's list and means "war drum" in Tamil, The Hindu reported.3
Murasu will very likely cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur between 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday, Nov. 2, the department says, with sustained winds of 100 to 110 km/h, about 60 to 70 mph, gusting to 120 km/h. At landfall, a surge of about 1 meter, about 3 feet, above the normal tide is very likely to flood low-lying areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh, with the highest surge expected in Bapatla, Krishna and Prakasam districts.1
The department has issued a Cyclone Alert for the Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts, a step up from the Pre-Cyclone Watch its regional cyclone center issued for the Andhra Pradesh coast hours earlier. That center issues the tropical weather outlook for the whole northern Indian Ocean.12 The department advises a total suspension of fishing, moving people who live in huts on the coast to safer places, and staying indoors in affected areas.1
In coastal Andhra Pradesh, the department expects major damage to thatched houses and huts, roofs that may blow off, minor damage to power and communication poles, major damage to standing crops and orchards, flooded escape routes, and disrupted rail and road traffic. At sea near the storm, waves may reach 9 to 14 meters, about 30 to 45 feet.1
Extremely heavy rain is forecast at isolated places in coastal Andhra Pradesh on Nov. 2 and 3, and in Telangana on Nov. 3. Heavy to very heavy rain is forecast in south Odisha on Nov. 3 and 4, and at isolated places in Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema. After landfall the storm is forecast to weaken, to a depression by Tuesday, India time.1
A red alert for Monday is in place for Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam and SPSR Nellore districts, The Hindu reported. Arnab, a very severe cyclonic storm, crossed the coast near Narsapur on Oct. 28 with gusts up to 150 km/h, about 95 mph, and hit northern Andhra Pradesh hardest; this time central and south coastal Andhra Pradesh are likely to bear the brunt. The state government puts its losses from Arnab at 4,600 crore rupees, or 46 billion rupees. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu cancelled a trip to Delhi planned for Monday because of the cyclone, his office said on X.3
In neighboring Odisha, Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state has declared a high alert in its southern region and officials have been told to move people from low-lying areas and vulnerable hilly areas to safer places. Relief work is still going on in Ganjam and Gajapati districts, which flooded after Arnab. Officials in Ganjam were told to move people living in high-risk spots to shelters by Sunday night, according to an official statement. National Disaster Response Force and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams are on standby, India Today reported.4
The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, run by the United Nations and the European Commission, issued a red alert, its highest level, at 9:23 p.m. ET Saturday. Its model estimates about 1.2 million people could face winds of 120 km/h or more.5
Why it matters (Estimate). Estimate. A second storm in about a week is aimed at the same coastline, while roads, power lines and farms damaged by Arnab are still being repaired and Odisha is still running relief work. For low-lying coastal districts, the storm surge and extremely heavy rain, not only the wind, are the main dangers the weather department flags. This is our reading.
The weather department's damage list for coastal Andhra Pradesh includes the falling of green coconuts, the tearing of palm fronds, and major damage to banana, papaya and drumstick trees.1
How we know
Notes
- 1.India Meteorological Department, National Bulletin No. 6, issued 2:30 p.m. India time Sunday (4 a.m. ET), with the storm's position as of 11:30 a.m. India time (1 a.m. ET). The bulletin said the next update was due at 7 a.m. ET Sunday. Source 1.
- 2.India Meteorological Department, Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre New Delhi, special tropical weather outlook issued 4 a.m. UTC Nov. 1 (11 p.m. ET Saturday). Source 2.
- 3.The Hindu, Sunday, Nov. 1, published 6:55 a.m. ET, citing the weather department in Amaravati and the Andhra Pradesh chief minister's office. Not an official page; Partially confirmed. Source 3.
- 4.India Today, Sunday, Nov. 1, published 4:26 a.m. ET, citing Odisha's disaster management minister and an official statement. Not an official page; Partially confirmed. Source 4.
- 5.Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS), red alert for tropical cyclone FOUR-26 (Murasu), first issued 9:23 p.m. ET Saturday. The population figure is a model estimate; Estimate. Source 5.
What is still unknown or disputed
- Exactly where and when Murasu will come ashore. The forecast has a cone of uncertainty and may shift.
- How many people Andhra Pradesh will evacuate. This desk found no official Andhra Pradesh figure.
- How much damage Murasu will add to areas still repairing after Arnab.
Primary sources
Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.
Source 1
National Bulletin No. 6 (BOB/09/2026): Cyclonic Storm "Murasu" over Southwest & adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal
India Meteorological Department · November 1, 2026
It is very likely to ... cross south Andhra Pradesh coast as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed of 100 to 110 kmph gusting 120 kmph between Nellore and Narsapur
https://rsmcnewdelhi.imd.gov.in/uploads/archive/47/47_522f6a_6._National_Bulletin_No_6-01Nov2026_1130IST.pdf
Source 2
Special Tropical Weather Outlook for the North Indian Ocean, issued 0400 UTC 01.11.2026
India Meteorological Department, RSMC New Delhi · November 1, 2026
Deep Depression over Southeast & adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal [Pre-Cyclone Watch for Andhra Pradesh coast Yellow Message]
https://rsmcnewdelhi.imd.gov.in/uploads/archive/2/2_730580_Tropical_Weather_Outlook_based_on_0000_UTC_of_01.10.2026.pdf
Source 3
Cyclone 'Murasu' drums up fresh worry for Andhra after Arnab; red alert sounded in five districts
The Hindu · November 1, 2026
A red alert for November 2 is in place for the districts of Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam and SPSR Nellore, where extremely heavy rain is likely.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/cyclone-murasu-drums-up-fresh-worry-for-andhra-after-arnab-red-alert-sounded-in-five-districts/article71652622.ece
Source 4
Cyclone Murasu hurtles towards Andhra; evacuations in Odisha, NDRF on standby
India Today · November 1, 2026
Authorities have been directed to evacuate people from low-lying areas and vulnerable hilly terrain to safer locations.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/odisha-cyclone-murasu-landfall-andhra-pradesh-high-alert-3029859-2026-11-01
Source 5
Red notification for tropical cyclone FOUR-26
Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (UN and European Commission) · November 1, 2026
Population affected by Category 1 (120 km/h) wind speeds or higher is 1.156 million
https://www.gdacs.org/report.aspx?eventtype=TC&eventid=1001346