Cyclone Murasho Hits Eastern Coast of India

Cyclone Murasho was reported to have made landfall along India’s eastern coast early Tuesday, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The system struck the coast of Andhra Pradesh in the hours after midnight local time and brought strong winds, heavy rain and high seas to the region.

Indian officials have begun evacuating thousands of residents from vulnerable coastal towns and villages. The ministry of civil defence announced plans to relocate about 30,000 people from Andhra Pradesh to safer areas farther inland. The evacuation drive began on Monday as the cyclone’s path was being plotted and confirmed to be heading south‑east across the coastline.

Local reports from the Indian Meteorological Department noted that the cyclone is expected to be particularly damaging in both Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, where the storm’s rain bands are already producing severe flooding in low‑lying districts. The threat is heightened by the fact that the area has just suffered an earlier storm, Cyclone Arnab, which slammed into the same coast a week earlier, claiming at least six lives.

Officials highlight that the eastern coastline, lying off the mouth of the Bay of Bengal, has historically seen a high concentration of tropical cyclones. The latest forecast shows Murasho’s winds exceeding 120 kilometres per hour as it consolidates over the sea, and the ocean’s warm waters are expected to sustain the cyclone’s intensity as it moves inland.

The United Nations’ Department of Disaster Risk Reduction has issued a statement urging the public to heed evacuation orders and to seek refuge in temporary shelters. An estimated 50,000 residents are expected to be affected by the storm’s rainfall and storm surge, according to the emergency management office.

In addition to mass evacuations, authorities have called on local police and military units to maintain order and provide logistical support for the displaced. The displacements are projected to last until the storm subsides, with expectations that official relief operations will extend into at least the following week – a scenario similar to that seen after Cyclone Arnab.

Emergency services have also set up emergency response teams in Tamil Nadu to monitor potential secondary hazards, such as landslides in the hilly districts that lie inland from the coast. The security forces have secured key ports and airports to prevent disruptions to critical supply chains during the crisis.

Recent weather updates indicate that Murasho will transit the Bay of Bengal before making a second landfall further south in the next 24 hours. The Indian Meteorological Department has warned that any secondary worsening might reinforce the cyclone’s impact over already saturated soil and infrastructure. The government is monitoring the situation closely and will issue updates as new data arrives.

While the focus remains on immediate safety and evacuation, Indian officials also note that long‑term recovery will require substantial investment in resilient infrastructure. The government has pledged to allocate financial assistance to affected communities once the cyclone’s damage assessments are completed.

For populations in both Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the twin storms of Arnab and Murasho within a week serve as stark reminders of the region’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones. The urgent need for preparedness and improved early‑warning systems has become evident to officials and residents alike.

In the days ahead, both authorities and humanitarian agencies will continue to monitor the cyclone’s progression, update evacuation plans if necessary, and coordinate relief operations to mitigate the storm’s human and economic toll.