The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Friday that Cyclonic Storm 'Ditwah' has started moving northwards towards the north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts.
In its latest bulletin posted on X, the IMD stated that the system was located approximately 480 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 580 km south-southeast of Chennai.
“The Cyclonic Storm Ditwah over coastal Sri Lanka and the adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 8 kmph during the past 6 hours and lay centred at 2330 hrs IST of yesterday, over the same region, near latitude 7.9°N and longitude 81.3°E, about 8 km northwest of Batticaloa (Sri Lanka), 80 km south of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 200 km north-northeast of Hambantota (Sri Lanka), 480 km south-southeast of Puducherry (India) and 580 km south-southeast of Chennai (India),” the IMD bulletin read.
The weather agency further forecast that Cyclone Ditwah is likely to continue moving north-northwestwards, cross the Sri Lankan coast, and then reach the southwest Bay of Bengal near the north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by the morning of November 30.
Coastal areas are expected to experience strong winds, heavy to very heavy rainfall, and rough to very rough sea conditions over the next few days due to the approaching cyclonic storm.
Red alert issued in four Tamil Nadu districts
B. Amudha, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai, clarified that the system is not expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm. "It (Ditwah) is currently being treated as a cyclonic storm. Forecasts do not, at present, upgrade it to a severe cyclone," the RMC chief said.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has issued a red alert for four Cauvery Delta districts — Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai — which will remain in force until November 30.
An orange alert has been declared for five other districts: Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram (Chengalpattu), Ranipet, and Chengalpattu. A red alert signifies extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm in 24 hours, whereas an orange alert indicates very heavy rainfall between 11 cm and 20 cm in 24 hours. Amudha added that gale winds reaching 60–80 kmph, gusting up to 90 kmph, are likely near the storm centre, while the outer bands may experience winds of 35–45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph.
"Similar squally winds of 35–45 kmph, with gusts up to 55 kmph, are also expected over parts of the Arabian Sea adjoining Kerala, Lakshadweep and Maldives," she said. Fishermen, particularly those already venturing into deep sea areas, have been strictly advised by the IMD to avoid the south, central, southwest, and southeast Bay of Bengal for the next five days.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday held a review meeting with officials of the state disaster management authority to assess the special preparedness and initiatives being undertaken for effective disaster management, as reported.
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