Cyclone Ditwah is approaching north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh, likely making landfall by early Sunday.
Red and orange alerts issued for many districts signal heavy to extremely heavy rain, strong winds, rough seas and possible flooding.
Flights suspended (54 cancelled), schools closed, disaster-response teams pre-deployed and residents urged to stay indoors, avoid the sea and prepare for floods and disruption.
Cyclone Ditwah — now over the southwest Bay of Bengal after crossing coastal Sri Lanka — is steadily tracking northwest toward the Indian mainland. The national weather agency forecasts that the storm will approach the coasts of northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and southern Andhra Pradesh by early Sunday morning.
Strong winds and rough seas have already started battering coastal areas. Wind speeds are expected to reach 60-80 km/h near the storm’s core, with gusts up to 90 km/h. Outer bands may bring winds of 35-45 km/h, gusting up to 55 km/h. Seas are very turbulent.
A red alert has been issued for several coastal and delta districts — including Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, and the Puducherry–Karaikal region — warning of heavy to extremely heavy rain. Downpours in some places could exceed 20 cm in 24 hours. Meanwhile, districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu are under orange alerts, expecting very heavy rain and strong winds.
In anticipation of the cyclone’s impact, authorities have cancelled 54 flights across Tamil Nadu, citing safety concerns over heavy rain and storm-heightened winds. Schools and colleges in several districts have also been closed as a precaution.
Disaster-response units have been deployed and are on standby in vulnerable coastal and inland areas. Rescue teams and pump-out crews are ready to assist. Officials have urged residents — especially in low-lying or flood-prone zones — to stay indoors, avoid travel and fishing, secure essential supplies, and plan for possible evacuations.
