Cyclone Murasu Weakens into Depression Over Andhra Pradesh: Why Its Historic Tamil Name Matters for Weather Watchers

Severe cyclonic storm Murasu weakened into a depression over south coastal Andhra Pradesh according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). 

It crosses near Ongole with sustained winds of 110 to 120 kmph. And then the storm moved inland at 6 to 8 kmph toward eastern Telangana. 

Heavy rains lashed coastal districts which caused two confirmed fatalities and initial property losses estimated at ₹344 crore. Crucially depression Murasu marks a global achievement for being the first tropical cyclone named using a Tamil word under the WMO/ESCAP protocol.

Depression Murasu: Tracker, Landfall, and Rainfall Alert

Murasu originated as a low pressure area over the Andaman Sea on October 29 before turning into a severe cyclonic storm. 

It crossed the Andhra coast between 1:00 AM and 8:30 AM on November 3. Landfall triggered storm surges up to 1.5 metres. And seawater intruding 330 metres inland in Ongole.

Depression Murasu Landfall Tracker

When surface friction of Cyclone Murasu cut off oceanic moisture the wind speeds dropped from 110 kmph to 55 to 65 kmph by midnight. Station gauges recorded extreme downpours across coastal mandals. 

• Naguluppalapadu logged 198 mm, 

• Kothapatnam registered 182.3 mm, 

• Konanki received 168.2 mm, and 

• Edlapadu recorded 147.5 mm within hours.

Why Murasu is the First Tamil Cyclone Name

The name 'Murasu' refers to an ancient royal war drum or percussion instrument prominent in classical Tamil heritage. India proposed the moniker as part of the 169 cyclone name roster adopted by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and UN ESCAP panel in 2020.

13 Nation Rotation

The panel comprises 13 northern Indian Ocean littoral nations. Each submitting 13 names arranged sequentially.

Linguistic Milestone of Cyclone Murasu

Past names from India drew primarily from Sanskrit and Hindi (such as Agni, Bijli, Vayu, and Tej). Murasu is the very first official storm designated from a Dravidian language root.

Sangam Era Relevance

In Sangam poetry royal murasu drums were sounded to broadcast state warnings and muster communities during emergencies. The current tropical depression Murasu is mirroring the cyclone's warning role today.

What is Cyclone Murasu Damage Footprint and Ground Relief Measures

The Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority reported -

312 damaged houses, 

over 300 uprooted trees, and 

disruption across 200 cellular towers. 

Standing crops on 52,459 hectares mainly paddy, cotton, and banana plantations also suffered acute water inundation.

Officials shifted 12230 citizens across Guntur, Palnadu, and Bapatla into active rehabilitation centres. Government is wants to prevent urban flooding along the Krishna delta and irrigation authorities opened all 70 crest gates at Vijayawada's Prakasam Barrage. As the remnant low-pressure system shifts toward Telangana, active moisture alerts remain in place across upstream river basins.