Thousands evacuated as India braces for second cyclone in a week

What the report says

Authorities in India’s southern Andhra Pradesh state have started moving residents from low-lying coastal areas as Cyclone Murasu approaches, according to Al Jazeera’s report published Nov. 2, 2026. Officials said about 2,000 people had already been evacuated, with plans to move roughly 30,000 in total as the storm heads toward the coast near Ongole.

The India Meteorological Department said Murasu was expected to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur late Monday into early Tuesday. It forecast a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of about 100 to 110 km/h, with gusts up to 120 km/h. The region is still dealing with the effects of Cyclone Arnab, which hit the same coastline the previous week and caused deaths and damage.

State officials said disaster response teams had been deployed ahead of landfall, and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu warned of possible damage to power infrastructure. Local authorities in coastal districts urged fishermen not to go to sea, while schools were closed in Andhra Pradesh and neighboring Tamil Nadu and Odisha. The broader weather system was also expected to bring rain to parts of Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The reported preparations underline how quickly the eastern Indian coast is facing back-to-back severe weather events, raising concern about further disruption to communities, homes, crops and essential services.