Cyclone Ditwah spares Chennai, red alert issued for 5 Tamil Nadu districts and Puducherry

Closing in on the Tamil Nadu coast, Cyclone Ditwah in the south Bay of Bengal is expected to pound five coastal districts and Puducherry with extremely heavy rainfall later tonight, while largely sparing Chennai.

According to the latest weather updates, the cyclone will pass within 25 km of Chennai before moving toward Andhra Pradesh. The city has so far received only mild intermittent showers.

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The IMD has issued a red alert for the five coastal districts of Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Chengalpattu along with Puducherry and the Karaikal region of the Union Territory.

Although Ditwah is expected to weaken upon reaching the Coromandel coast on Sunday, a red alert has also been issued for Tiruvallur and Ranipet districts of Tamil Nadu, which border south Andhra Pradesh.

The tail-end Cauvery districts of Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai, along with parts of Cuddalore and Villupuram, have already been battered by heavy monsoon rains, leaving standing crops awaiting harvest submerged across vast stretches.

In addition to disrupting paddy procurement, the situation has intensified farmers’ demands for compensation for crop damage. Kodiyakarai in Nagapattinam district recorded 25 cm of rainfall.

Speaking to reporters, Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSRl Ramachandran said there has been no major damage so far from the rains triggered by Cyclone Ditwah in vulnerable districts. He added that the cyclone is expected to move toward Andhra Pradesh without making landfall in Chennai.

“About 30 companies of the NDRF and SDRF have been deployed in vulnerable districts, and more will be requisitioned if necessary. All precautionary measures, including relief camps, are in place,” he said, adding that assistance from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard has been sought to manage the situation.

In Chennai, more than 20 flights have been cancelled due to inclement weather, and the Southern Railway has announced changes to services on certain routes.

With heavy rains in the catchment areas of the three major reservoirs around the city, water release has been increased, with prior warnings issued to residents along riverbanks.

The Puducherry administration has also put in place extensive precautionary measures in both Puducherry and the Karaikal region, with NDRF teams deployed to handle any emergency.