Coordination with APSDMA helped Andhra tackle back-to-back cyclones: RTGS CEO Jain
ThePrint - India · Published 7 November 2026 · Last updated
Andhra Pradesh leveraged institutional integration between its Real Time Governance Society and State Disaster Management Authority to manage two consecutive severe cyclones through multi-channel early warning, targeted evacuations, and tech-driven restoration.
Key points
- Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) and Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) integrated operations to manage two cyclones striking within six days: Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab (landfall near Narsapur on October 28) and Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu (landfall near Ongole on November 3).
- The twin cyclones affected over 5.2 lakh people, submerged more than 4.7 lakh hectares of crops, and resulted in 14 reported fatalities across the affected districts.
- Public alert infrastructure disseminated over 14 crore mobile alerts using the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and targeted cell broadcast systems, including 8.2 crore alerts during Cyclone Arnab and 5.8 crore during Cyclone Murasu across 18 districts.
- Mass evacuation protocols relocated 34,716 individuals and housed 81,366 across 1,109 relief camps prior to Arnab, while Murasu shelters accommodated an additional 23,584 evacuees.
- Targeted life-safety interventions secured 6,166 pregnant women in healthcare facilities (3,100 ahead of Arnab and 3,066 before Murasu) and evacuated 70,286 livestock into 291 dedicated animal shelters.
- Maritime safety protocols enforced the return of all 30,043 registered fishing vessels before Arnab (with 92 anchored safely in Odisha) and 12,967 out of 12,968 boats ahead of Murasu, prompting Coast Guard search operations for the single missing boat.
- Emergency response deployment mobilised 16 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 11 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams for Arnab, followed by 13 NDRF, 11 SDRF, and 3 additional Tamil Nadu NDRF teams for Murasu.
- Restoration operations involved over 8,400 power utility workers for Arnab, alongside 5,885 personnel from APEPDCL, 3,192 from APCPDCL, and approximately 1,500 electrical personnel deployed from Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka for Murasu.
- The state deployed digital monitoring tools including vehicle-tracking dashboards for 18,360 vehicles, 75 drones during Arnab, and planned deployments of 140 survey drones and 70 cargo drones across nine districts for Murasu.
- Public grievance redressal via the Mana Mitra WhatsApp service logged over 1,500 complaints on uprooted trees and utility failures during Arnab, achieving a resolution rate exceeding 95 percent.
- The state government disbursed Rs 27 crore in immediate relief and incurred Rs 108.4 crore in relief expenditure for Arnab, released Rs 37 crore for Murasu, and formally sought interim assistance from the Central Government.
Background
- October 22, 2026: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its initial landfall trajectory forecast for Cyclone Arnab, providing a six-day advance warning window.
- October 26, 2026: The IMD upgraded its warning for Cyclone Arnab to a Red Message, triggering operational activation across APSDMA and RTGS command units.
- October 28, 2026: Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh coastline near Narsapur, initiating pre-positioned utility restoration protocols.
- November 1, 2026: The IMD issued a Red Message for Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu approximately 37 hours prior to landfall, prompting immediate redeployment of disaster response apparatus.
- November 3, 2026: Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu made landfall near Ongole, impacting southern coastal districts within six days of the prior cyclone.
- November 7, 2026: Essential public infrastructure across affected districts, including power grids, telecommunication towers, drinking water supply, and road networks, achieved near-complete restoration.
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Original report: ThePrint - India