Photo: Collected
Less than a week on, another cyclone is bearing down on India’s east coast.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the storm could hit the coast on Monday night.
Cyclone ‘Murasu’ could make landfall around midnight on Monday or early on Tuesday. Heavy rain is feared in Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Tamil Nadu as a result.
News agency AFP reported this from New Delhi.
The cyclone season has taken a more intense form this year due to El Niño. As a result, temperatures are rising abnormally around the world, and wind flow, air pressure and rainfall patterns are also changing.
The India Meteorological Department said, ‘The cyclone may intensify into a severe cyclonic storm while crossing the south coast of Andhra Pradesh. Wind speeds at that time could be 100 to 110 kilometres per hour. Gusts could reach up to 120 kilometres per hour.’
According to the department, the storm could make landfall on the coast between Nellore and Narsapur, near the town of Ongole.
Earlier, Cyclone ‘Arnab’ struck the Andhra Pradesh coast last Wednesday. It brought heavy rain and killed at least three people.
Murasu is expected to be weaker than the previous storm in terms of wind speed. But it could again bring heavy rain to areas damaged by the earlier storm.
The Meteorological Department has warned that strong winds could damage thatched houses, blow away roofs and uproot trees. Standing crops, plantations and orchards could also suffer damage.
Background
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had classified Cyclone ‘Arnab’ as a very severe cyclonic storm. It hit Andhra Pradesh early on 28 October, when winds were forecast at 125 to 135 kilometres per hour with gusts of up to 150 kilometres — The Star published this Reuters report on 28 October.
At least 1 lakh 80 thousand people were evacuated from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha the day before Arnab struck. More than 1 crore 20 lakh people lived in the storm’s likely path — Al Jazeera reported this on 28 October.
By the numbers
According to officials of the Andhra Pradesh chief minister’s office, at least three people died and at least 180 houses were destroyed in Arnab — The Star published this Reuters report on 28 October.
At a glance
According to a LiveChennai report of 22 October, the name ‘Murasu’ was proposed by India. In Tamil it is the name of a type of drum. The IMD coordinates the naming of cyclones in the region.
Sources
Original report: BSS
Background sources: The Star (Reuters), 28 October 2026; Al Jazeera, 28 October 2026; LiveChennai, 22 October 2026
