Cyclone Ditwah intensified its impact on Tamil Nadu on Saturday, shutting schools, cancelling 54 flights, suspending sea-bridge rail services and prompting evacuations in coastal belts. From Cuddalore to Ramanathapuram, district teams moved into full preparedness mode as the storm inched closer.
(ANI Video Grab)
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry spent Saturday battling deepening weather stress as Cyclone Ditwah inched its way up the southwest Bay of Bengal, bringing in stronger winds, longer spells of rain, and a day filled with travel hiccups and precautionary evacuations. What started as scattered early-morning showers slowly tightened into a system that forced closures, grounded flights and pushed district administrations to raise their alert levels.
Schools and colleges were shut across several districts, fisheries departments sounded repeated warnings asking boats to stay off the sea, and emergency teams were moved to vulnerable stretches along the coast. With the cyclone advancing towards the North Tamil Nadu–Puducherry belt, much of the region slipped into preparedness mode.
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In Cuddalore, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam said that inspections had been carried out throughout the day under the District Collector’s supervision, mainly to identify areas that might be hit first if the winds picked up overnight. According to him, arrangements have been made to shelter more than one lakh people, with 239 vulnerable pockets already marked out.
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Authorities also prepared a list of 925 pregnant women who may need medical support during the storm window. Hospitals were instructed to admit those requiring early care, given the difficulty of moving patients once conditions worsen.
Tree-clearing teams, pump operators and coastal surveillance units are already in place. The NDRF has been placed on standby across the Cuddalore–Puducherry coastal belt.
The Regional Meteorological Centre said heavy rain bands are likely to persist across Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Ranipet and Tiruvannamalai through the night. Delta districts, such as Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Pudukottai, may receive the sharpest bursts. Alerts are also active across Perambalur, Ariyalur, Tiruchi and Kallakurichi.
Officials have urged residents to remain indoors and avoid waterlogged or low-lying stretches until conditions stabilise.
Air travel was one of the biggest casualties throughout the day. Chennai Airport confirmed the cancellation of 54 flights, including 16 outbound services to Thoothukudi, Madurai and Tiruchirappalli and an equal number of inbound flights. Another 22 services from Madurai, Trichy and Puducherry to Bengaluru and Hyderabad were suspended as a precaution. Passengers were advised to check airline updates before leaving for the airport.
Further down the coastline, Ramanathapuram district took the direct hit from Ditwah’s strong winds and high tides. With gusts touching 65–70 kmph along the Pamban stretch, Southern Railway suspended all operations on the Pamban sea bridge as a safety measure. Trains from Chennai, Kanyakumari and Madurai headed for Rameswaram were halted at Mandapam, where buses ferried stranded passengers across. Trains originating from Rameswaram will temporarily start from Mandapam until wind speeds fall below danger levels.
Fishermen across Rameswaram, Mandapam and Pamban scrambled to secure their vessels as choppy waters dragged several country boats into the sea. A mechanised boat drifted ashore at Serankottai after strong waves dislodged its anchor.
Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said around 40 people from Dhanushkodi had been moved to a government school in Rameswaram as a precaution. Tourist entry to Dhanushkodi has been halted, with police barricading access roads.
The list of districts that declared holidays for educational institutions included Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Perambalur, Tiruvarur, Kallakurichi, Puducherry and Karaikal. Schools were closed in Villupuram and Tiruchi as well. Pondicherry University postponed all Saturday examinations following a Coast Guard alert.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, which witnessed severe damage and fatalities after the cyclone brushed past the island, continues to receive emergency assistance from New Delhi. A C-130J aircraft carrying tents, hygiene kits, blankets and ready-to-eat meals landed in Colombo under Operation Sagar Bandhu. Earlier, INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri had transported relief material.
The India Meteorological Department has said Cyclone Ditwah may intensify slightly before approaching the North Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coast early on November 30. Heavy to extremely heavy rain, strong winds and the possibility of urban flooding remain the primary concerns over the next 24 hours.
Control rooms across districts are tracking the storm’s movement, monitoring low-lying neighbourhoods and preparing for additional evacuations if required. With Chennai, the delta districts and the Ramanathapuram coast facing the highest risk, the state’s challenge over the next day will be to navigate the most volatile phase of the storm without major disruption.
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