Agricultural areas in the delta districts faced severe impact, with farmers reporting that paddy crops raised on nearly one lakh acres were submerged.
Published Nov 30, 2025 | 10:36 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 30, 2025 | 10:36 AM
Rain triggered by Cyclone Ditwah lashed Tamil Nadu’s coastal and delta districts.
Synopsis: Rain triggered by Cyclone Ditwah lashed Tamil Nadu’s coastal and delta districts, disrupting daily life in several regions. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department said no landfall is expected.
Rain triggered by Cyclone Ditwah lashed Tamil Nadu’s coastal and delta districts on Saturday, 29 November, disrupting daily life in several regions.
Ramanathapuram and Nagapattinam districts were among the worst affected, with Rameswaram facing a second consecutive day of continuous rain and strong winds.
Officials said a few trees were uprooted in Nagapattinam, while multiple districts reported heavy showers accompanied by powerful gusts.
Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said it was still uncertain whether the cyclone would make landfall near Chennai, but assured that the government was fully prepared for any eventuality.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said no landfall is expected.
A total of 28 disaster response teams, including State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units, have been kept on standby, and plans are underway to airlift 10 more teams from other states. The Air Force and Coast Guard have been alerted, and monitoring teams will be sent to affected districts.
As many as 6,000 relief camps have been set up, he said, adding that while there have been no fatalities, 16 livestock deaths and 24 damaged huts have been reported.
Meanwhile, 14 NDRF teams have already been deployed across vulnerable districts, including Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Mayiladuthurai, with additional teams allotted to Chennai and Puducherry. Fishermen in coastal regions such as Chennai, Rameswaram, Pamban and Nagapattinam stayed ashore for the second day due to rough sea conditions.
Agricultural areas in the delta districts faced severe impact, with farmers reporting that paddy crops raised on nearly one lakh acres were submerged.
Authorities in Chennai have decided to release surplus water from the Chembarambakkam and Poondi reservoirs as a precautionary measure.
Flight operations were also hit, with 54 flights cancelled from Chennai airport following IMD warnings of heavy to very heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Train services saw disruptions as well, with Southern Railway announcing changes in schedules for December.
However, wind speeds at the Pamban Bridge have receded to safe limits, and train traffic to Rameswaram is expected to resume soon. The district administrations have urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, and tourists have been advised not to visit Dhanushkodi.
The IMD said the cyclone, which was moving north-northwest at eight kmph, was located 190 km from Karaikal, 300 km from Puducherry and 330 km from Chennai, and is likely to approach the coasts of North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh by early Sunday morning.
A red alert is already in place in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Veni EN.)
