Cyclone Ditwah: Red alert declared in parts of Tamil Nadu as IMD warns of 'extremely heavy rainfall'

Cyclone Ditwah which was hovering over coastal Sri Lanka has slowly started moving towards Tamil Nadu and a red alert has been declared in parts of the state on Saturday bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds and risk of waterlogging in Puducherry, Kerala and Telangana.

Cyclone Ditwah was slowly moving closer towards the Tamil Nadu coast and it was likely to bring heavy rainfall, weather office said on Friday, as the state government reviewed its preparedness to face the second such weather system in a month.

The weather office forecast heavy rains in the southern and Cauvery delta districts of the state, between November 29 and 30.

In a bulletin on Friday evening, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclonic storm 'Ditwah' over the coast of Sri Lanka and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved slowly northwards with a speed of 3 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centred at 2.30 hrs of today, November 28 over the same region.

It is located about 300 km south-southeast of Karaikal, 410 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 510 km south-southeast of Chennai, the bulletin said.

Chief Minister M K Stalin reviewed the situation. At the state emergency operations centre, he said, "a red alert (extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours) has been issued for the southern and delta districts."

The CM said his government has deployed senior officials in vulnerable districts, and all of them have already reached their assigned areas.

As per the bulletin by the weather office, the cyclone is "very likely to move north-northwestwards across Sri Lanka coast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal and reach over southwest Bay of Bengal near north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by early morning of November 30".

"Stay indoors, avoid coastal areas. Follow official advisories and avoid spreading rumours. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea. Stay alert, stay safe, as your caution can save lives," the IMD said

Asked if Chennai would be impacted, Stalin replied the city is expected to receive heavy rainfall.

The name, 'Ditwah', referring to a lagoon, was suggested by Yemen. It is likely named after Detwah Lagoon, a large, saline lagoon on the northwest coast of the island of Socotra in Yemen.

(With PTI inputs)