Cyclone Ditwah intensified over the southwest Bay of Bengal on November 29, 2025, triggering widespread transport chaos along the Tamil Nadu coast as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm in 24 hours across several districts. Centered approximately 190 km south-southeast of Karaikal, 300 km south-southeast of Puducherry, and 400 km south of Chennai, the cyclonic storm moved north-northwest at 8 kmph, prompting authorities to cancel multiple trains and flights while bracing for gale-force winds up to 90 kmph and flash floods in low-lying areas. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin convened an emergency review at the State Emergency Operations Centre, directing the deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to vulnerable coastal zones, including Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, and Pudukkottai.

Southern Railway announced sweeping changes to train services on November 28 and 29, cancelling several key routes originating from or passing through cyclone-affected areas like Rameswaram and Mandapam. Among the fully cancelled trains are the 22662 Rameswaram-Chennai Egmore Express, 16104 Rameswaram-Tambaram Express, 16344 Madurai-Thiruvananthapuram Central Express, 16850 Rameswaram-Tiruchchirappalli Express, and 16752 Mandapam-Chennai Egmore Express. Partial cancellations and short terminations affect dozens more, with services skipping stations such as Rameswaram, Pamban, Uchipuli, and Mandapam Camp to ensure passenger safety amid forecasts of rough seas and disrupted tracks. The railway urged travelers to check updates via official apps, as the storm's proximity threatens further suspensions into November 30.

Chennai International Airport reported at least 40 flight disruptions on November 29, primarily impacting regional ATR turboprop services operated by IndiGo to destinations like Colombo, Jaffna, Pondicherry, Tuticorin, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, and Chennai itself. Akasa Air flights from and to Chennai faced similar delays or cancellations due to adverse weather, with airlines advising passengers to monitor statuses for rebooking or refunds. The cancellations, concentrated between morning and evening slots, stem from IMD warnings of intense downpours and crosswinds, exacerbating delays at other southern hubs like Madurai and Coimbatore. Aviation authorities emphasized that while international long-haul flights remain operational, regional connectivity to Sri Lanka and Andhra Pradesh remains severely hit.

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The IMD's red alert covers Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Mayiladuthurai, with orange alerts for Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, and Tiruvannamalai, forecasting very heavy to extremely heavy spells through November 30. Delta districts like Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam face the brunt, with heavy rainfall also expected in Salem, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Tiruchi, Ariyalur, Vellore, Tirupathur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, and Karur. Fisherfolk have been urged to avoid seas, while schools and colleges in Perambalur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Pudukottai, Puducherry, and Karaikal declared holidays; only schools closed in Villupuram, Thanjavur, and Tiruchi.

Government responses include evacuation drills in coastal hamlets, stockpiling relief materials in 200-plus shelters, and activating flood-control pumps in Chennai's subways and underpasses. Stalin's administration has coordinated with the Coast Guard for real-time monitoring, while Puducherry's local bodies mirror these efforts amid shared alerts. The cyclone, which has already claimed 69 lives and left 34 missing in Sri Lanka, is projected to skirt the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry-south Andhra Pradesh coast without direct landfall, but its moisture-laden bands promise prolonged inundation and power outages.

As Ditwah edges closer, the focus shifts to resilient infrastructure and community preparedness in a region scarred by cyclones like Fengal earlier this month. With transport networks crippled and economic activities halted in fishing and agriculture sectors, recovery could span weeks, underscoring the urgent need for climate-adaptive measures in India's vulnerable coastal belt.

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