Chennai: Cyclone Ditwah is heading towards Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and southern Andhra Pradesh coasts. It is expected to make landfall on Saturday, November 30, bringing heavy to extremely heavy rainfall accompanied with strong winds in the region. Sri Lanka is already witnessing heavy rainfall due to Cyclone Ditwah.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning that Cyclone Ditwah, which is currently near Sri Lanka and the southwest Bay of Bengal, is likely to intensify slightly and move towards the North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast.
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Speaking to ANI on Friday, IMD Director General of Meteorology Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the cyclonic storm is presently centred over coastal areas of Sri Lanka and adjoining parts of the southwest Bay of Bengal, around 480 km south of Chennai, and is moving in a north-northwestward direction.
"We expect it to come out of Sri Lanka and enter the southwest Bay of Bengal by 29th morning. Then there could be a slight intensification. With this wind speed, the cyclonic storm will continue to move north-northwestwards and reach near the north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast by 30th early morning," Mohapatra told ANI.
The IMD warned of flood-like situations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry due to the heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, rainfall has already started lashing Tamil Nadu.
Sea conditions will remain rough along and off the Tamil Nadu, south Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry coasts.
There is also a possibility of storm surge inundating low-lying stretches of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Authorities advised citizens to stay indoors and avoid travelling without any important work.
Puducherry and four districts of Tamil Nadu, including Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Mayiladuthurai and Villupuram districts, are on red alert in the wake of the cyclonic storm.
Meanwhile, an orange alert has been sounded in several other districts of Tamil Nadu, including Tiruchirappalli, Salem, Kallakurichi, Chennai and Perambalur.
In the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, schools have also been reportedly closed in those parts of Tamil Nadu where there could be a severe impact of the storm.
Chennai Airport authorities announced the cancellation of 54 scheduled flights as Cyclone Ditwah intensifies over the Bay of Bengal and moves steadily towards the Tamil Nadu coast.
The IMD is expecting the system to gradually weaken as it moves northward after November 30.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka has risen to 69, with 34 people still missing as of Friday, as the country continues to face severe weather conditions.
India started Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to Sri Lanka.
