The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that Cyclonic Storm Ditwah, which is currently circling coastal Sri Lanka and the nearby southwest Bay of Bengal, is steadily moving north-northwest and is predicted to approach the coasts of Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh by the early hours of November 30. The storm was located approximately 50 km south-southwest of Trincomalee, 90 km northwest of Batticaloa, and 230 km north of Hambantota in Sri Lanka as of 5:30 am IST, according to the agency.
Ditwah was around 540 miles south of Chennai and 440 km south-southeast of Puducherry on the Indian side, moving at a slow 7 kmph over the previous six hours. By early November 30, the system is predicted to continue travelling north-northwest across Sri Lanka’s coast, emerge over the southwest Bay of Bengal, and approach the beaches of North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and neighbouring South Andhra Pradesh.
Many areas, including Tamil Nadu (Nov. 28 to Dec. 1), Kerala and Mahe (Nov. 28 to 29), Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam (Nov. 28 to Dec. 1), South Interior Karnataka (Nov. 29 to 30), and North Interior Karnataka (Nov. 30), are expected to see thunderstorms with lightning. According to the IMD, thunderstorms with strong gusts of 30 to 40 kmph could also hit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands today and tomorrow.
As Cyclone Ditwah moves closer to the Indian shore, authorities are keeping a careful eye on the system. It has been recommended that fishermen stay away from the southwest Bay of Bengal and the coast of Sri Lanka. As the intensity of the downpour rises, coastal residents are advised to remain vigilant and adhere to official cautions.
