Heavy rain and power outages disrupt Diwali festivities due to Cyclone Murasu

According to a report by The Hindu, Cyclone Murasu has caused significant disruption to Diwali celebrations on Sunday, 8 November, 2026, in the SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, and Markapuram districts. The heavy rainfall and power outages caused by this natural disaster have dampened the festive spirit and joy of all sections of society, from children to the elderly, farmers, and retail traders.

Typically, during the holy festival of Diwali, families follow the tradition of purchasing firecrackers and earthen lamps on the morning of Diwali or the day before. However, due to continuous torrential rain over the last two days, many people remained confined to their homes. Those who attempted to venture into the markets were also unable to find quality products such as firecrackers or lamps. This situation has also caused difficulties for retail traders in sales. Madan Mohan, a student of Intermediate from the Dhanalakshmipuram area of Nellore, stated that this year, the rain has disrupted all his plans for bursting firecrackers. He was neither able to purchase new firecrackers nor could he enjoy the ones he had saved from last year.

The situation was observed to be more severe in Prakasam district. Due to waterlogging on the roads, people faced immense difficulties in commuting and travelling from one place to another. For the elderly in particular, it became difficult even to step out of the house to procure medicines and other basic necessities. Additionally, the power outages led to a significant increase in the menace of mosquitoes in homes.

Heavy rain and winds have caused extensive damage to the electrical infrastructure in various parts of the district, including power lines, poles, conductors, and distribution transformers. Although rapid work is underway to restore the power supply, the electricity supply in rural areas could not be normalised until the evening of Monday, 9 November, 2026.

Ramakrishna, a retired employee from Ammanabrolu village of Nagulupalapadu mandal, described his difficulties, stating that due to the lack of electricity, he was unable to use electric vehicles or mobile phones. To charge his mobile phone, he had to go to a petrol pump operated by a generator. In some villages, even the petrol pumps were not operational due to the lack of electricity. Local residents also complained that the power supply to their homes had been cut off for the last one week, and they were using kerosene lamps at night to cope with the situation.

Farmers in Prakasam district have been the most affected by this cyclone disaster. Due to destructive winds and heavy rain, chili and paddy crops have suffered heavy damage in Purumetla village of Mundlamuru mandal and Chinna Kothapalli village of Adanki mandal, with the crops being scattered on the ground. This natural disaster has completely damaged the farmers' crops.