Cyclone 'Murasu' (name from India) forms in Bay of Bengal; to cross Andhra coast – heavy rain likely

1 November 2026 · English Infrastructure & Energy

Topics: Weather, States, Archaeology & Infrastructure · 1 November 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)

News

On 1 Nov 2026 the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said a deep depression had intensified into Cyclonic Storm 'Murasu' over the south-west and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal. At 5.30 pm on 1 Nov it lay about 420 km east-south-east of Chennai, moving west-north-west at 25 km/h. It is forecast to become a Severe Cyclonic Storm by early 2 Nov and to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, near Ongole (Prakasam district), between 11.30 pm on 2 Nov and 4 am on 3 Nov, with winds of 100–110 km/h gusting to 120 km/h. A cyclone alert covers the Andhra coast and the adjoining north Tamil Nadu coast; north Tamil Nadu districts including Chennai are on heavy-rain alert and fishermen have been told not to venture into the sea. It is the second cyclone to threaten the Andhra coast within a week (the first, 'Arnab', crossed near Narsapur on 28 Oct).

Key facts

Background

• Structure: the calm, often clear centre of a cyclone is the 'eye' – usually a few tens of kilometres across. The surrounding 'eye wall' has the strongest winds and heaviest rain; outside lie spiral rain bands. As the eye passes, a brief lull is followed by violent winds from the opposite direction.
• Storm surge: the cyclone's strong winds and low pressure pile sea water abnormally high and push it into low-lying coasts – a leading cause of cyclone deaths. It is worse along the Bay of Bengal's shallow, funnel-shaped coasts.
• Geography: Nellore city stands on the Penna (North Pennar) river, which rises in the Nandi Hills of Karnataka – Tamil Nadu's Thenpennai (South Pennar) also rises in the Nandi Hills. Ongole (Prakasam district) is home of the famous Ongole cattle breed. Narsapur is near the Vasishta Godavari branch of the Godavari delta.
• The north-east monsoon season (Oct–Dec) is also the Bay of Bengal's main cyclone season. Even when such storms cross Andhra Pradesh, their cloud bands bring heavy rain to north Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu link: 'Murasu' is a Tamil name contributed by India. In Dec 2023, Cyclone 'Michaung' (name from Myanmar) crossed near Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh on 5 Dec, but earlier, on 3–4 Dec, it flooded Chennai – showing that storms crossing Andhra can still hit north Tamil Nadu. This time too, north Tamil Nadu districts including Chennai are on heavy-rain alert.

Source: IMD bulletins via Minnambalam, ANI, The Hans India, OmmCom News (1 Nov 2026); ap7am (28 Oct 2026 – Arnab)

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