Cyclone Ditwah Nears Tamil Nadu, Flights Cancelled and Warnings Issued

Cyclone Ditwah is approaching the northern coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, prompting heightened preparations from local authorities. With airport operations disrupted and alerts issued across the region, officials are bracing for severe winds, significant rainfall, and coastal challenges over the next 48 hours.

Currently moving over coastal Sri Lanka and the adjacent southwest Bay of Bengal, Ditwah has gained strength, triggering an orange alert in multiple districts. The cyclone has already left a mark in Sri Lanka, where at least 123 fatalities have been reported, with over 130 people still unaccounted for. Affected authorities have relocated nearly 44,000 individuals to official shelters amid continuous rainfall and flooding.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone is advancing north-northwest at a speed of 8 kmph as of early Saturday morning. At 5:30 am, it was situated over the southwest Bay of Bengal and Sri Lanka's northern regions, about 300 km south-southeast of Puducherry and approximately 400 km from Chennai.

Meteorological forecasts predict that the cyclone will reach the northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and parts of southern Andhra Pradesh by early Sunday. Wind speeds along the coast are currently measuring between 50 to 60 kmph, expected to escalate to between 70 and 80 kmph, with peaks up to 90 kmph. The sea conditions are already turbulent and predicted to worsen until Sunday.

Given the deteriorating weather conditions, Chennai Airport has cancelled 54 flights scheduled for Saturday. The affected flights include regional turboprop services servicing cities including Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Thoothukudi, Salem, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Jaffna. Both incoming and outgoing flights have been impacted. Authorities attributed their decision to safety concerns related to the strong winds and intense rainfall predicted during the cyclone's approach. Passengers are advised to minimize travel to the airport.

Train services have also faced disruptions. Trains departing from Chennai, Kanyakumari, and Madurai to Rameswaram have halted at Mandapam; however, government buses are being organized for passenger transportation. Services from Rameswaram will only run from Mandapam until conditions improve.

The Regional Meteorological Centre has issued warnings for very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across several regions. Schools and colleges have been closed in districts such as Perambalur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Pudukottai, Puducherry, and Karaikal. In places like Villupuram, Thanjavur, and Tiruchi, only schools remain closed for the time being. Pondicherry University has postponed exams and declared a holiday due to severe weather alerts from the Coast Guard.

Chennai and its neighboring districts are expected to face intense rainfall along with strong winds. Predictions indicate heavy to extremely heavy rains for Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Mayiladuthurai, while Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, and Tiruvannamalai may see significant downpours. Delta districts including Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam are also likely to experience intense rainfall.

Officials are urging the public to stay indoors and avoid flood-prone areas, along with keeping up to date with government advisories. Fishermen have been warned against venturing into the sea due to perilous conditions. Along the coast of Thanjavur, around 1,500 mechanized boats and over 2,000 country boats have been securely anchored as a precautionary measure.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin held a meeting on Friday with the District Collectors from 14 districts to assess preparedness plans. A total of 16 teams from the State Disaster Response Force and 12 teams from the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in at-risk areas, including Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, and Mayiladuthurai.

As Cyclone Ditwah gears up to strengthen further before making landfall, officials are on high alert and urging the public to remain cautious until the cyclone lessens in severity.