Cyclone Ditwah has wreaked havoc in neighbouring Sri Lanka after at least 56 people died and 23 went missing due to strong winds and heavy showers-led destruction. Most of the casualties were attributed to landslides triggered by torrential rainfall that has exceeded 300 mm (11.8 inches) over the past 24 hours. Sri Lanka has so far evacuated 43,991 people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths, and extended aid to Sri Lanka.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “My heartfelt condolences to the people of Sri Lanka who have lost their loved ones due to Cyclone Ditwah. I pray for the safety, comfort and swift recovery of all affected families.” He added that India stands ready to provide more aid and assistance as the situation evolves.

“In solidarity with our closest maritime neighbour, India has urgently dispatched relief materials and vital HADR support under Operation Sagar Bandhu. We stand ready to provide more aid and assistance as the situation evolves,” the Prime Minister further added. 

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India has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to dispatch relief material in Sri Lanka, and cyclone-affected areas. 

“Guided by India’s Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR, India continues to stand firmly with Sri Lanka in its hour of need,” the PM said in the post. Offices and schools have been closed due to the inclement weather that damaged over 600 houses, reported PTI citing Al Jazeera. 

Several Indian states brace for impact

The cyclone is moving towards India and is likely to impact several states including Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin on Friday reviewed the preparedness ahead of cyclone ‘Ditwah’ in the Bay of Bengal. The cyclone is likely to bring heavy rainfall in the state. The state is already witnessing rough sea conditions.

India Meteorology Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the southern and Delta districts with predictions of heavy rainfall between Nov 29 and 30. 

“A Red alert has been issued for the southern and delta districts. I held a video conference with the collectors of the districts where red alert has been sounded. Already, a meeting of high officials was convened with senior officials yesterday (Thursday) to issue detailed instructions,” CM Stalin said, quoted PTI.

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The Tamil Nadu government has deployed senior officials in vulnerable districts, and all of them have already reached their assigned areas. “I have directed them to remain on high alert, especially in locations badly hit (in the past). They have been instructed to constantly monitor and take steps to prevent any disruption, including snapping of powerlines,” he said. 

Chennai, he said, is also experiencing heavy rainfall and accordingly, camps have been readied with food and essential supplies. 

Yellow alert in several districts

The Chennai MeT Department has issued a yellow alert for multiple districts in Tamil Nadu for Friday. It said that isolated places in Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukkudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam districts and Karaikal are expected to be affected under the yellow alert, indicating the likelihood of light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed teams across several districts in Tamil Nadu to carry out precautionary measures amid heavy rainfall. Each of the team consists of 30 personnel, with a total of eight teams being deployed across the designated districts.

6 days of rainfall in Coastal Andhra Pradesh

The impact of Cyclone Ditwah would most likely be a stretched one as Vizag Cyclone Warning Centre Officer Jagannath Kumar said it would last across coastal Andhra Pradesh for the next six days. He said the northern and southern coastal districts will see varying phases of isolated to widespread rain, accompanied by thunderstorms. 

“Under this system, light to moderate rainfall is likely over coastal districts. The spatial distribution of rainfall is likely to increase over the coastal district over the next six days, especially in north coastal Andhra Pradesh,” he told ANI.

Elaborating the day-by-day pattern for the northern belt: he said it would be dry weather on day one; isolated showers on day two; scattered rainfall on day three; and fairly widespread rain on days four through six. On the seventh day, rainfall is expected to reduce to a scattered pattern, he added, quoted ANI.

The cyclonic storm (Ditwah) is very likely to reach southwest Bay of Bengal near north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by early morning of November 30, the weather office said on Friday.

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