Cyclone Murasu: NDRF deploys 14 teams in Andhra; 6 districts identified as worst-affected

Amaravati: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Tuesday said it has deployed 14 teams across Andhra Pradesh following the landfall of Cyclone Murasu, with six districts identified as the worst-affected areas.

No casualties have been reported so far, officials said.

Speaking to IANS, NDRF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mohsen Shahedi said the landfall process began early Tuesday morning and was completed by around 9 a.m., according to the latest information received from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

"The landfall process of Cyclone Murasu began at around 1:00 a.m. early this morning. According to the latest information we received from the IMD, the landfall process was completed at around 9:00 a.m. Fourteen NDRF teams have been deployed in Andhra Pradesh in view of the cyclone. Three teams have been moved from Tamil Nadu," DIG Shahedi said.

He said six districts in Andhra Pradesh had been identified as the areas likely to face the most significant impact, with NDRF personnel working alongside the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the local administration to carry out coordinated operations.

The NDRF DIG said the force had also made arrangements in other states that were expected to experience the impact of the cyclone, pointing out that strong winds and heavy rainfall could affect a large geographical area.

"The impact zone of a cyclone is usually extensive due to strong winds and rainfall. Five states were identified as potentially affected by the cyclone. Besides Andhra Pradesh, parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and northern Tamil Nadu were also expected to be affected. Accordingly, NDRF teams were deployed across all these states," DIG Shahedi said.

Providing an update on the cyclone's expected movement and intensity, he said the system was likely to weaken gradually, reducing the possibility of significant impacts beyond Andhra Pradesh.

"According to the information till now, this cyclone will turn into a cyclonic storm soon and then into a deep depression by midnight. So, the impact of this cyclone outside Andhra is expected to be less," he said.

DIG Shahedi also confirmed that no casualties had been reported so far, as the authorities continued to monitor the situation and carry out response operations in the affected areas.

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