The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a stark red alert for select districts in Tamil Nadu, as the cyclonic storm Ditwah creeps perilously near the region’s coastline, promising torrential downpours and gale-force winds on Sunday. Authorities warn of extremely heavy rainfall in isolated spots, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance amid the system’s slow northward advance.
Positioned approximately 80 km east of Karaikal in Puducherry as of Saturday evening, the depression has intensified into a cyclonic storm, traveling nearly due north at a measured pace of 5 kmph over the preceding six hours. IMD forecasts indicate it will skim parallel to the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry shores, maintaining a tense proximity—dipping to as close as 50 km in the early hours of Sunday before narrowing further to 25 km by evening. While landfall remains uncertain, the storm’s trajectory over the southwest Bay of Bengal heightens risks for coastal communities.
In response, Chennai airport authorities canceled 47 flights slated for Sunday, comprising 36 domestic routes and 11 international ones. Domestic disruptions primarily affected connections to and from Madurai, Tiruchi, Thoothukudi, and Salem, with 18 departures and 18 arrivals impacted. Travelers are urged to monitor updates closely.
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai anticipates heavy to very heavy precipitation across multiple locales, with the potential for extreme deluges in one or two areas of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Puducherry, and Karaikal. Lighter to moderate showers, occasionally laced with thunderstorms and lightning, are probable in broader swaths of Tamil Nadu, including Puducherry and Karaikal. Districts such as Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Ranipet face prospects of substantial downpours, while isolated pockets in Vellore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, and Theni may also encounter rain.
The red alert, triggered as the system edged north at 7 kmph, carries urgent directives: residents should remain indoors, steer clear of coastal zones, and adhere strictly to directives from local officials. Fisherfolk in the danger area have received explicit advisories against venturing into open waters.
Beyond Tamil Nadu, ripple effects extend regionally. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, along with Rayalaseema, could see light to moderate rain escalating to heavy or very heavy in spots, with extremely heavy falls possible in isolated instances. Kerala anticipates similar patterns—light to moderate across many areas, punctuated by heavier bursts in a few. In Telangana, scattered light to moderate showers are on the horizon, with heavier rain confined to select isolated zones.
As Cyclone Ditwah bears down, the IMD emphasizes real-time monitoring to safeguard lives and infrastructure in this vulnerable corridor.