Heavy rains are expected in the southern and Cauvery delta districts of Tamil Nadu between November 29 and 30 as cyclonic storm ‘Ditwah’ is advancing towards the state’s coast.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts, prompting the state government to intensify its preparedness to face the second such weather system in a month.
Fourteen other districts, including Chennai, have been placed under orange alert.
In view of the adverse weather conditions, authorities have declared a holiday for all schools in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on Saturday. Colleges will also remain closed in several districts, while Annamalai University, based in Chidambaram, has postponed all examinations scheduled for today.
Cyclone Ditwah Early morning update - No changes in the Track of the cyclone. It will move parallel to the Tamil Nadu coast as coastal bypass rider.
— Tamil Nadu Weatherman (@praddy06) November 28, 2025
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Heavy rains have commenced in the Delta belt - Nagai district in particular (Till 3.30 am centuries in Nagai and… pic.twitter.com/yZHIplq9qb
Airliner IndiGo has cancelled several flights operating to and from Jaffna, Puducherry, Tuticorin, and Tiruchirappalli on November 29.
The name, 'Ditwah', referring to a lagoon, was suggested by Yemen. Earlier in a bulletin, the IMD had said that the weather system was located about 270 km south-southeast of Karaikal, 380 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 490 km south-southeast of Chennai. It was slowly moving northwards and is expected to reach near the north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by the early hours of November 30.
The Cyclonic Storm Ditwah [Pronunciation: Ditwah] over coastalSri Lanka and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards withthe speed of 7 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centered at 2330 hrs IST of yesterday,the 28th November 2025 over the same region, near… pic.twitter.com/dTa5FOs86r
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 28, 2025
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin held a video conference with the collectors of the delta districts, where red alerts have been sounded.
The government had deployed senior officials in vulnerable districts, and all of them had already reached their assigned areas, the chief minister said on Friday.
Puducherry Lt Governor K. Kailashnathan also held an emergency meeting with officials, directing them to take all precautionary measures.
A release from Raj Nivas said the IMD has issued a 'red alert' for Puducherry, forecasting intense rainfall on November 29 and 30 due to the cyclone in the Bay of Bengal.
