Cyclone 'Murasu' forms days after 'Arnab', eastern coast faces fresh storm threat
Cyclone Murasu has formed over the Bay of Bengal and is heading towards Andhra Pradesh. The fresh threat comes days after Cyclone Arnab caused extensive coastal damage.
- Nov 01, 2026,
- Updated Nov 01, 2026, 3:41 PM IST
A new cyclonic storm, Murasu, has formed over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm before making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast between November 2 and 3, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday, November 1.
The development comes just days after Cyclone Arnab battered India's eastern coast, causing extensive damage in Andhra Pradesh.
According to the IMD, a deep depression over the southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 23 kmph over the past six hours before intensifying into Cyclone Murasu.
In its latest bulletin issued at 11:30 am on Sunday, the weather agency said the storm was centred over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, around 560 km east-southeast of Chennai, 660 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 630 km east-southeast of Nellore.
The IMD has forecast that Murasu will move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of November 2.
It is then expected to change direction towards the northwest and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur as a severe cyclonic storm.
The landfall is likely between 11.30 pm on November 2 and 4 am on November 3, with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph and gusts reaching 120 kmph, the IMD said.
The latest cyclone threat comes days after Cyclone Arnab made landfall near Odalarevu in Andhra Pradesh on October 29, leaving a trail of destruction along the coast.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had estimated the preliminary damage caused by Arnab at Rs 4,600 crore across the state.