Heavy rain lashed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Sunday as Cyclone Ditwah rushed towards the eastern coast of India after wreaking havoc in Sri Lanka. The storm is expected to make landfall on Sunday morning — with the India Meteorological Department sounding a red alert in both states. Dozens of disaster response teams have been deployed across the region and thousands of relief camps set up all over Tamil Nadu ahead of the cyclone.
Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency late on Saturday night as the death toll from floods and mudslides reached 132 in a matter of hours. Another 176 people remained missing while nearly 78,000 people were displaced from their homes. The toll is expected to rise and social media posts on Saturday showed several areas affected by overnight mudslides that authorities are yet to reach. India also launched rescue and relief operations in the neighbouring country under ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ on Saturday — with Chetak helicopters from INS Vikrant leading search and rescue sorties. Nearly 300 Indians have also been stranded at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo for the past three days as Cyclone Ditwah forced the cancellation of flights.
Where is Cyclone Ditwah now?
According to an early morning updated shared by the IMD, Cyclone Ditwah continued to move towards the north Tamil Nadu- Puducherry coast. The storm lay centered some 90 km east-northeast of Vedharanyam in the Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu by 11:30 pm on Saturday — also roughly 160 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 260 km south of Chennai.
“It is very likely to move nearly northwards parallel to North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts during next 24 hours. While moving northwards the cyclonic storm will be centered over southwest Bay of Bengal within a minimum distance 50 km and 25 km from the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coastline by early morning and evening on November 30,” the IMD added.
‘Extremely heavy rainfall’ expected
The weather department has forecast heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala on Sunday. A red alert has been sounded across Tamil Nadu with “extremely heavy rainfall” greater than 21 cm predicted for isolated places in the state. The northern districts are expected to get widespread rain till noon on Sunday due to the cyclonic system. Nagapattinam district alone has recorded 30 cm of rainfall in the last two days. The IMD has also issued an orange alert for Andhra Pradesh and yellow alerts for Odisha, Kerala and parts of Karnataka.
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: IMD shares update - '30 km from Puducherry coastline by noon'
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: Will the storm make landfall?
According to reports, Cyclone Ditwah is not expected to make landfall. Instead it will likely weaken weaken over the next few hours and move northwards --- parallel to the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast.
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: Fishermen kept ashore in Tamil Nadu
Rough seas under the influence of Cyclone Ditwah continue to keep fishermen ashore in Mayiladuthurai district for the third consecutive day, as turbulent waters make the coast unsafe for fishing.
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: Hundreds of NDRF troops deployed
According to updates shared by ANI, some 150 members of the National Disaster Relief Force have headed from Chennai to Villupuram to prepare for Cyclone Ditwah.
Five teams of 6 BN NDRF, equipped with FWR & CSSR assets, were earlier airlifted from Vadodara in Gujarat, to Chennai for deployment in Tamil Nadu.
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: IMD hoists Danger Signal Number 5
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) hoists Danger Signal Number 5 (D-V) in view of Cyclone Ditwah. Signal 5 means a cyclonic storm of slight or moderate intensity will cross the coast, keeping the port to its left.
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: Rainwater enters sanctum sanctorum of Nagapattinam temple
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: IMD sounds red alert for Tamil Nadu
A red alert has been sounded across Tamil Nadu with “extremely heavy rainfall” greater than 21 cm predicted for isolated places in the state. The northern districts are expected to get widespread rain till noon on Sunday due to the cyclonic system. Nagapattinam district alone has recorded 30 cm of rainfall in the last two days.
Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates: Sri Lanka death toll rises to 132
The death toll from heavy floods and mudslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka rose to 132, with 176 people still missing, authorities said Saturday. Nearly 78,000 people have been displaced and are in temporary shelters, the South Asian country's disaster management center said.
The death toll is expected to rise. Social media posts on Saturday showed several areas affected by overnight mudslides that authorities have yet to reach.
Sri Lanka has been battered by severe weather since last week. Conditions worsened Thursday, with heavy downpours that flooded homes, fields and roads and triggered landslides mainly in the tea-growing central hill country.
The government closed schools and offices and postponed examinations.
Most reservoirs and rivers have overflowed, blocking roads. Authorities stopped passenger trains and closed roads in many parts of the country after rocks, mud and trees fell on roads and railway tracks.