Cyclone Ditwah: Tamil Nadu readies for landfall, 47 flights cancelled in Chennai

New Delhi: Cyclone Ditwah brought strong winds and heavy rain to Chennai and parts of coastal Tamil Nadu on Sunday, disrupting flights and daily life even as the system weakened and tracked parallel to the state’s shoreline.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red and orange alerts for extremely heavy rainfall over several coastal and delta districts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, with the heaviest falls expected through November 30 and December 1.

Ditwah, which has already caused severe floods and landslides in Sri Lanka and killed more than 150 people there, is not expected to make direct landfall in India but will move northwards along the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast over the southwest Bay of Bengal, the IMD said.

Strong winds, rough sea off Chennai

Through the early hours of Sunday, strong winds and rough sea conditions were reported off Marina Beach and other parts of the Chennai coast. 

Visuals showed large waves hitting the shoreline and trees swaying under gusty winds as authorities kept beaches closed and advised residents to stay away from the seafront.

The IMD said wind speeds along parts of the coast could reach 55-65 kmph with higher gusts, with the sea remaining rough to very rough. 

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea off Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh.

47 flights cancelled, schools shut

Chennai International Airport cancelled 47 flights scheduled for Sunday, 36 domestic and 11 international, due to the cyclone and associated weather, and urged passengers to check with airlines before heading to the terminal.

Several flights to and from cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai were affected, and airlines issued travel advisories warning of delays and further cancellations if weather conditions worsen.

Schools and colleges in Chennai and multiple coastal districts were ordered shut for the day, with local administrations asking people in low-lying and flood-prone areas to remain indoors unless travel was essential.

NDRF teams deployed, low-lying areas on watch

The Tamil Nadu government has deployed State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force teams across vulnerable coastal belts.

Around 28 combined SDRF and NDRF units have been kept on standby or moved into districts such as Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Villupuram for rescue and relief work.

In Chennai and its suburbs, officials reported waterlogging in some low-lying stretches and arterial roads, but there were no major reports of severe urban flooding till Sunday afternoon. 

Power supply disruptions were reported from some neighbourhoods as a precautionary measure or due to local faults, with Tangedco teams deployed for restoration.

The state government has opened relief centres in coastal and delta districts to house people shifted from vulnerable homes. 

Hot meals, drinking water and basic medical support are being provided at these shelters, officials said.

Heavy rain forecast, landslide risk in hills

According to the IMD, Ditwah is likely to continue moving northwards, remaining over the sea but coming within 25-50 km of the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast during the day. 

The system is expected to weaken gradually, but its outer bands will continue to feed moisture into Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and parts of south Andhra Pradesh, keeping conditions wet.

Extremely heavy rainfall has been forecast for coastal and delta districts including Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore and nearby areas, with heavy to very heavy rain likely in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and several interior districts. 

Landslide risk has been flagged for parts of the Nilgiris and nearby hilly regions if rain persists.

Farmers in the Cauvery delta have already reported flooding in paddy fields after two days of continuous rain, and agriculture officials have said damage assessments will be taken up once waters recede.

In Sri Lanka, where Ditwah first made landfall, authorities are dealing with one of the worst flood and landslide disasters in recent years. 

More than 150 people have been confirmed dead and tens of thousands displaced as homes, roads and farmland were inundated.