Andhra Pradesh in southern India is bracing for Cyclone Murasu, less than a week after Cyclone Arnab struck on 28 October, killed seven people and affected at least 18 coastal and nearby districts, Down To Earth reported. The state has put Arnab's damage at an estimated Rs 4,600 crore.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Murasu formed from a depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal and was expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm. It was forecast to cross the southern Andhra coast between Nellore and Narsapur between 11.30 pm on 2 November and 2 pm on 3 November (Indian time), with sustained winds of 100-110 km/h gusting to 120 km/h.
Five districts were under red warnings for extremely heavy rain on 2 November, seven under orange and six under yellow, with three red, seven orange and 16 yellow warnings for 3 November. Orange alerts also covered Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Telangana, and fishermen were told to stay off the sea along the Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Odisha coasts. Conditions were expected to ease on 4 November.
Farmers are still counting Arnab's losses. The state will pay Rs 54,000 a hectare for damaged coconut plantations covering 1,293 hectares, plus Rs 1,500 for each coconut tree uprooted or with crown damage; officials estimate about 195,000 coconut trees were damaged. Banana growers will receive Rs 35,000 a hectare for losses across 15,000 hectares.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered officials to speed up restoration work while preparing for the new storm, and announced Rs 5 lakh for each bereaved family. The cyclone’s name, proposed by India, means "war drum" in Tamil.
Photo: B.K.Viswanadh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
Source: Down To Earth
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