Cyclone Murasu Weakens to Depression Over Telangana and Andhra, Heavy Rain Kills Two

Severe Cyclone Murasu has weakened into a depression over eastern Telangana and adjoining coastal Andhra Pradesh after killing two people and tearing through infrastructure and standing crops across the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that the storm moved nearly northwards on Wednesday, November 4, and is set to collapse further into a well-marked low-pressure area over the next 12 hours.

Although wind speeds dropped as the storm moved inland, the remnants of depression Murasu continue to dump heavy rain over Andhra Pradesh. Local administrative teams remain on alert across coastal districts as emergency crews clear fallen trees and repair damaged electrical grids.

Edlapadu records 269 mm rain as storm weakens

Data released by weather monitoring stations shows coastal Andhra Pradesh bearing the heaviest brunt of the system’s downfall. Edlapadu in Palnadu district recorded 269.45 mm of rain within 24 hours, inundating residential neighborhoods and submerging acres of agricultural farmland. The intense rainfall followed days of storm activity in the Bay of Bengal, where the original weather system intensified into a severe cyclone before crossing the coast.

The storm claimed two lives in Andhra Pradesh during its landfall and movement across the state. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had previously ordered round-the-clock monitoring by district authorities when the Bay of Bengal depression intensified into Cyclone Murasu. Relief operations continue in affected mandals to assess crop destruction and restore disrupted utility lines.

Disrupted train lines and crop loss in Andhra

The system’s passage across eastern Telangana and adjoining coastal areas impacted regional transport networks on Wednesday. Railway tracks in several sections experienced waterlogging and track bed erosion, forcing authorities to delay and alter train schedules through the main coastal corridor. Maintenance crews were deployed to clear submerged tracks and verify structural stability before resuming normal traffic flow.

Agriculture across several coastal districts suffered extensive losses. High-velocity winds and rain knocked down standing crops just ahead of harvest. State disaster management officials reported widespread damage to road networks, municipal infrastructure, and low-voltage power distribution systems.

IMD forecasts heavy rain across eight states

Even as the depression Murasu system breaks down over land, the IMD warned of continued precipitation across southern and central India. The weather office forecasted rain and thunderstorms across eight states over the next 24 hours. Severe weather conditions, including intense thunderstorms and gusty winds, are projected for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal as monsoon moisture remains elevated across the peninsula.

In contrast, eastern states are beginning to see relief. West Bengal, which experienced rainfall from the cyclone’s outer arms over previous days, is expected to transition into a spell of dry weather starting Wednesday as the system moves further north and dissipates.

Low-pressure transformation expected within 12 hours

The IMD’s latest bulletin indicates that the depression will complete its decay into a well-marked low-pressure system by Thursday morning. Weather radars continue tracking the residual cloud mass as it diffuses over the landmass of east Telangana, with rainfall intensity expected to taper off across Andhra Pradesh by Thursday evening.