The slow-moving cyclonic storm Ditwah has begun impacting southern Tamil Nadu with significant rainfall, while meteorological authorities warn of intensified showers in northern regions including Chennai over the coming weekend.
Storm Movement and Projected Path
The cyclonic system demonstrated remarkably slow progression, crawling across Sri Lanka and covering approximately 70 kilometers in 15 hours with wind speeds diminishing to nearly 3 kmph. Currently positioned about 470 km south of Chennai, the storm is expected to maintain its north-northwestward trajectory across the Sri Lanka coast and adjacent southwest Bay of Bengal.
Weather officials project Ditwah will reach the southwest Bay of Bengal near North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by the early morning of November 30. Although the system is anticipated to weaken into a deep depression by the time it parallels the Chennai coastline, it remains capable of triggering widespread heavy rainfall activity.
Emergency Preparedness and Alerts
The India Meteorological Department has maintained a red alert for Saturday, predicting extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm within 24 hours at one or two locations across four coastal districts in northern Tamil Nadu. Simultaneously, Chennai and thirteen neighboring districts remain under an orange alert for heavy to very heavy precipitation measuring between 12-20 cm on the same day.
P Senthamarai Kannan, director of the Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, indicated wind velocities are expected to intensify from Saturday, potentially reaching 70-80 kmph with gusts up to 90 kmph across the delta region, adjacent coastal districts, Puducherry, and Karaikal as the storm progresses along the Tamil Nadu coastline.
Regional Impact and Relief Operations
The cyclonic system has already demonstrated its destructive potential in Sri Lanka, where it claimed more than 80 lives. In response to the catastrophe, India initiated Operation Sagar Bandhu, a comprehensive relief mission to assist the island nation. The Indian Navy deployed its aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri to deliver the first consignment of emergency supplies.
Andhra Pradesh authorities have established emergency control rooms and deployed disaster response forces in anticipation of the weather system's impact. The weather office has forecast heavy rains across parts of Rayalaseema and south coastal Andhra between Saturday and Sunday, with an orange alert activated for several districts on Saturday escalating to a red alert for some regions on Sunday.
