New Delhi, November 29, 2025: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the coastal regions of North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining South Andhra Pradesh as Cyclone Ditwah, which has already claimed approximately 120 lives in Sri Lanka, advances north-northwestwards over the southwest Bay of Bengal. The cyclone is forecast to reach near the coasts of these states by early Sunday morning, prompting authorities to warn residents and farmers of potential impacts.

According to the IMD, Cyclone Ditwah currently exhibits maximum sustained wind speeds of 70–80 kmph, and these speeds are expected to persist until early Sunday. Although classified as a moderate cyclone, such wind speeds can still cause significant damage to standing crops, inundate low-lying areas, disrupt traffic, and generate a storm surge of 0.5 to 1 metre along the affected coastline. The IMD has cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea, as conditions remain hazardous.

M. Mohapatra, Director General of the IMD, explained: “Ditwah, which initially formed over Sri Lanka, has now entered the Bay of Bengal. While it will remain offshore and will not cross the Indian coast, it is expected to affect approximately 50–60 km of the coastline. Residents along Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and South Andhra Pradesh should brace for widespread impacts.”

As of Saturday afternoon, the cyclone was located about 80 km east of Jaffna (Sri Lanka), 140 km southeast of Vedaranniyam (India), 170 km south-southeast of Karaikal (India), 280 km south-southeast of Puducherry, and 380 km south of Chennai. The IMD projects that by midnight Saturday and early Sunday morning, Ditwah will approach within 60 km, 50 km, and 25 km of the Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coast, respectively.

Heavy Rainfall Expected:
The IMD predicts significant rainfall across the affected regions. In coastal Tamil Nadu and northern Puducherry, most areas are expected to receive light to moderate rainfall, many locations may experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, and isolated areas could see extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm on Sunday. By December 1, rainfall is likely to decrease gradually, becoming light to moderate with heavy showers at isolated locations.

Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh and Yanam in Puducherry are also likely to see light to moderate rainfall at most places, heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations, with extremely heavy rainfall at certain areas on Sunday. Rainfall in these regions is expected to taper gradually by Monday.

Meanwhile, Kerala and Mahe (Puducherry) are forecast to receive light to moderate rainfall at many locations, with heavy rainfall at isolated sites on Saturday. Telangana is likely to witness light to moderate rainfall at a few locations, with isolated heavy rainfall on Sunday.

Northwest India Experiences Temperature Drop:
In parallel, northwest India is experiencing a western disturbance characterized by an upper-air cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan and surrounding regions. Another cyclonic circulation is present over East Assam and its vicinity. This weather activity is likely to cause a drop in minimum temperatures by 2–4°C over northwest India over the next three days, after which temperatures are expected to stabilize.

Currently, minimum temperatures remain below 6°C at several locations across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Himachal Pradesh, while a few places in Uttarakhand and Punjab also report similar temperatures. Many areas across Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh are recording minimum temperatures in the range of 6–10°C, with isolated cold spots in north Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and eastern Madhya Pradesh. The lowest temperature reported in the plains of India was 6.4°C at Amritsar, Punjab.

Authorities have urged coastal residents to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow all instructions issued by local disaster management and meteorological departments. Farmers have been specifically advised to secure crops and livestock ahead of the cyclone’s impact.

The IMD continues to monitor Cyclone Ditwah’s movement closely and will provide updates as it progresses northwards, while the Indian government and state authorities remain on high alert to mitigate the storm’s potential impact.