Red alerts issued in southern Indian states over Cyclone Ditwah threat.

India’s southern coastline, particularly the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, is currently bracing for a severe impact as Cyclone Ditwah advances toward the country, threatening to unleash torrents of rain and damaging winds just days after the system devastated neighbouring Sri Lanka. As of Saturday, November 29, 2025, the Indian government machinery has shifted into high-alert mode, deploying its national disaster forces and issuing urgent warnings to coastal populations ahead of the anticipated landfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD), the authoritative government source for weather forecasting, confirmed in its latest bulletin that the Cyclonic Storm Ditwah is tracking a north-northwestward path across the Southwest Bay of Bengal and is expected to reach the coasts of North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and South Andhra Pradesh by early Sunday morning. While the system may have been weakened slightly by its passage near Sri Lanka, the IMD has still issued a Red Alert for four districts in Tamil Nadu, including Cuddalore and Nagapattinam, as well as the coastal Union Territory of Puducherry, indicating the likelihood of isolated extremely heavy rainfall (exceeding 20 cm) and squally winds peaking at 70 to 80 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 90 kmph. This immediate threat has forced a complete cessation of movement in low-lying areas and mandatory evacuation orders, with fishermen sternly advised by the IMD to not venture into the sea until at least December 1st.

The scale of the threat has necessitated a comprehensive and coordinated response led by India’s central and state governments, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at the forefront of the operational preparedness. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has confirmed that the state is fully mobilized, having deployed 12 teams of the NDRF and 16 teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) across 16 vulnerable districts, including Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Villupuram, with additional NDRF teams being airlifted from reserve bases to augment forces in the region. The state government has activated nearly 6,000 relief camps, equipped with food and medical supplies, and deployed ministers and senior administrative officials to the most threatened zones to personally oversee preparedness and coordinate evacuation efforts, with authorities in Cuddalore alone making arrangements to accommodate over one hundred thousand people. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran has consistently stated that the government is prepared to launch rescue and relief activities on a “war footing,” emphasizing that all necessary resources are in place to mitigate potential loss of life and property. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has also issued a red alert for districts like Nellore and Tirupati, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall due to the cyclone’s influence.

The economic and logistical disruption is already evident well before the cyclone’s landfall. Due to strong winds and poor visibility, Chennai Airport authorities have announced the cancellation of 54 scheduled flights, primarily affecting smaller turboprop services to regional destinations such as Madurai and Tiruchirappalli, while the Southern Railway has announced significant adjustments to its train schedules. Furthermore, the relentless rain preceding the cyclone has already inundated agricultural land, with farmers in the Cauvery delta districts reporting that paddy crops over nearly one lakh acres have been submerged, a massive loss that the state Agriculture Minister has promised will be compensated for following the government’s calculation of the exact damages once the water drains. The sheer volume of rain has also necessitated precautionary measures in reservoir management, with water resources officials in Chennai preparing to release surplus water from major reservoirs like Chembarambakkam and Poondi to manage rising water levels and prevent city flooding. As the hours tick down to the predicted landfall, the eyes of the region remain fixed on the Indian coasts, where a massive effort by government agencies is underway to ensure minimal casualties from Cyclone Ditwah.