Cyclone Murasu Makes Landfall on South Andhra Pradesh Coast

UPSC Relevance: 

GS Paper I (Important Geophysical Phenomena — Tropical Cyclones) and GS Paper III (Disaster Management). Why in News: Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu made landfall near Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, with wind speeds of 100–110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph.

  Background

 • Genesis & Facts: Originated as a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal before rapidly intensifying into a Severe Cyclonic Storm, fueled by sea surface temperatures exceeding 28°C and low vertical wind shear. 

 • Rainfall Deficit Context: The affected districts (Bapatla, Palnadu, Markapuram, SPSR Nellore, and Prakasam) had experienced a notable rain deficit during the preceding southwest monsoon, making this sudden heavy rainfall vital for local soil moisture despite immediate flood challenges. 

 • Regional Impact Data: The storm system also triggered heavy rains and waterlogging in northern coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, while neighboring Odisha evacuated 1.6 lakh people across Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, and Kandhamal districts due to concurrent impacts from Cyclone Arnab. 

 • Naming: Named Murasu (suggested by India) as per the WMO/ESCAP panel rotation list for North Indian Ocean tropical cyclones.

  Impact & Measures 

• Impacts: Triggered very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, localized urban waterlogging, storm surges in coastal zones, extensive crop damage in agrarian belts, power grid disruptions, and transport suspensions.

  • Measures: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) 10th Battalion deployed 14 specialized teams across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to coordinate swift emergency rescue, relief operations, and local evacuations. State authorities sounded immediate red alerts and activated district-level emergency response systems across five vulnerable districts. 

 • Solutions: Scaling up community-based disaster management training, expanding multihazard early warning systems, constructing resilient cyclone shelters, and expediting the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP).

 Essential Definitions

 • Tropical Cyclone: A rapid, rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, closed low-level atmospheric circulation, and strong winds. 

• Landfall: The intersection of the eye/center of a tropical cyclone with a coastline. 

 • Storm Surge: An abnormal rise in sea water level generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide.  

Legal and Constitutional Framework

 • Disaster Management Act, 2005: Provides the overarching statutory framework for disaster response, risk reduction, and institutional mechanisms including the NDMA, SDMAs, and NDRF.  

• Constitutional Provision: Article 21 (Right to Life) places an affirmative obligation on the state to protect citizens\' lives during natural disasters. Relief and disaster management operations operate under concurrent responsibilities.

 Conclusion

 Cyclone Murasu highlights the vulnerability of India’s eastern coastline to recurring high-intensity tropical systems. Enhancing structural resilience, pre-disaster evacuation protocols, and climateadaptive infrastructure is indispensable for safeguarding lives and livelihoods.