The deep depression escalated. Cyclone Ditwah is now barreling toward the Indian coast, expected to make landfall early Sunday, November 30, between North Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh.
This is the situation as of Saturday morning (Nov 29):
-
The Position: The cyclonic storm is close. It’s moving slow, but powerfully, and is currently about 220 km southeast of Karaikal, pushing north-northwest.
-
The Forecast: The IMD has issued alerts for extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh through November 30.
Red Alerts, Reservoir Worries & Travel Chaos
The government is on high alert. And then the travel cancellations followed.
I. High-Risk Zones (Red Alert)
A Red Alert for extremely heavy rain is in effect for multiple crucial districts. These areas are seeing the highest mobilization:
-
Tamil Nadu: Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, and Chengalpattu.
-
Puducherry is also under the Red Alert.
-
Andhra Pradesh has a Red Alert for November 30 for four districts: Nellore, Chittoor, Tirupati, and Annamayya.
II. Infrastructure and Travel Breakdown
-
Train Chaos: Southern Railway has cancelled or short-terminated multiple services. The Rameswaram–Okha Express was cancelled outright due to strong winds (58 kmph) whipping over the Pamban Bridge. Several other trains originating from Rameswaram are being shifted to start from Mandapam or Ramanathapuram.
-
Flight Cancellations: IndiGo cancelled dozens of ATR flight services across Tamil Nadu—routes to/from Jaffna, Puducherry, Tuticorin, and Trichy are all seeing disruptions. Airport authorities have preemptively cancelled flights as well.
-
Water Levels: Even inland, there is danger. Three major reservoirs in Kerala’s Idukki district are on Red Alert due to rising water levels. Thrissur and Kozhikode reservoirs are on Orange.
The mandate from authorities is clear: stay indoors, avoid flood-prone areas, and secure valuables. Evacuations in low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu are already underway.
Also read: No Samsungs, Only iPhones: Why London Phone Thieves Have Their Priorities Set
