New Delhi: IMD issued red alert as cyclone Ditwah is moving towards Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry on Sunday. The cyclone Ditwah is likely to reach over the southwest Bay of Bengal near North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by early Sunday morning, said IMD.

IMD in latest bulletin said that the Cyclonic Storm Ditwah is over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Sri Lanka moved nearly northwards with the speed of 10 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centered at 17:30 hrs IST of today, the 29th November 2025 over southwest Bay of Bengal.

Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD Director General said that due to the cyclone’s impact, sea winds around Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have reached 70 to 80 km/hour, gusting to 90 km/hour.

Tamil Nadu State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said the State Government is fully prepared to launch rescue and relief operations on a war footing. It was not yet clear if the cyclone would hit the coast near Chennai, he added. Chennai airport authorities said 54 flights to various districts were cancelled due to the cyclone.

The cyclone will cross 50 km/hour off the coast of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry tomorrow morning, its effects will be felt until evening, he said. Any structural damage is not expected, and the cyclone might only damage standing crop, he added.

Heavy rainfall was recorded in coastal Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry due to its impact in the last 24 hours. We have sounded a red alert for these regions like Kerala can also experience isolated incidents of heavy to very heavy rainfall, he said.