India evacuates thousands as a second cyclone in a week bears down on Andhra Pradesh

L2Who’s affected

Coastal residents of Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla and Krishna districts, which Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said face severe impact; fishermen told not to go to sea; schools closed in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. Chief Minister Naidu said 6,000 to 8,000 electrical poles could be damaged, a "severe threat to power supply." Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister R Nirmal Kumar said the state deployed 500 electricity personnel in 25 teams at Chief Minister Naidu’s request. Extremely heavy rain is likely at one or two places in Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor and Tirupati districts. Odisha placed its southern districts on high alert; Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari named Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri.

L3Why it’s quiet

Analysis · OVERLOOKED Indian cyclones are routine news abroad unless deaths are high, and U.S. coverage is consumed by the midterms.

L4Deeper impact

Six NDRF and seven state response teams were pre-deployed, three NDRF teams from Tamil Nadu. Rain is expected over Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh until Wednesday even as the storm weakens. Analysis · OVERLOOKED back-to-back storms hit a region whose homes and crops were already damaged by Arnab.

L5Full context

Murasu formed over the Bay of Bengal, which CNA describes as a major region for tropical cyclones that has spawned deadly storms on India's east coast. Arnab struck the same coastline on Oct 28, killing six and destroying dozens of homes and crops; Murasu is expected to be less intense.

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