Chennai Lashed by Heavy Rain as Cyclone Ditwah Approaches Coast, IMD Issues Alert for Intense Showers
Schools closed, traffic disrupted, and coastal communities brace for strong winds and rough seas as Ditwah lingers near Tamil Nadu coast.
Chennai, Dec 02 : Chennai faced relentless rain and stormy weather on Tuesday as the remnants of Cyclone Ditwah weakened into a depression just off the Tamil Nadu coast, triggering widespread disruptions, school closures, and crop damage across multiple districts.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) 10:30 am bulletin, the depression is centred approximately 40 km east-southeast of Chennai and 25 km from the north Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coast. Moving slowly southwestwards, the system is expected to maintain its current intensity for the next 12 hours before weakening into a well marked low pressure area.
Heavy Rain Forecast for North Tamil Nadu
The IMD has predicted light to moderate rain at most places, with heavy to extremely heavy rain in isolated pockets of north coastal Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. Similar conditions are likely to continue on Wednesday. Neighboring regions, including Puducherry, south coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, and Kerala, are expected to see moderate rainfall with isolated heavy spells.
In Chennai, key roads have been submerged, forcing traffic to slow. District Collectors in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu declared a holiday for all schools and colleges, while major universities postponed examinations.
Strong Winds and Rough Sea Conditions
Wind speeds along the Tamil Nadu–Puducherry–south Andhra coasts are forecast at 45–55 kmph, gusting up to 65 kmph till Tuesday evening, gradually easing to 35–45 kmph by Wednesday morning. Sea conditions in the southwest and westcentral Bay of Bengal, the Gulf of Mannar, and the Comorin region are expected to remain “very rough to rough” till Wednesday morning. Fishing operations along these coasts have been fully suspended until further notice.
IMD Advisory and Safety Measures
Authorities have warned of potential impacts including falling tree branches, uprooted small trees, damage to banana, papaya, and other horticulture crops, waterlogging in low lying areas, localized flooding, mudslides, and poor visibility. Residents are urged to remain indoors, avoid flooded areas, and stay alert for ongoing updates.
