The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a pre-cyclone watch for the coasts of northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and southern Andhra Pradesh as Cyclonic Storm Ditwah intensified over the southwest Bay of Bengal on Thursday, November 27, 2025. The storm, named by Yemen after the Detwah Lagoon on Socotra Island, formed near Pottuvil in Sri Lanka, approximately 90 km south-southeast of Batticaloa and 700 km south-southeast of Chennai, at coordinates 6.9°N, 81.9°E. With sustained winds reaching 83 km/h, Ditwah marks the fourth tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean this season, following the rare Cyclone Senyar that weakened over the Strait of Malacca without impacting mainland India. Authorities have placed coastal districts on high alert, urging residents to prepare for potential disruptions as the system tracks north-northwestward.

Ditwah is projected to maintain its north-northwest trajectory, skirting the Sri Lankan coast before approaching the vulnerable stretch between northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh by the early hours of November 30, around 3:00 a.m. IST. While the exact landfall point remains uncertain, initial forecasts pinpoint areas near Chennai, including Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, and Puducherry, as most at risk, with possible rapid intensification boosting wind speeds to 100 km/h or more. The IMD's live tracker indicates the storm's current position and path can be monitored via their official X handle and website, where satellite imagery shows the system's well-defined low-level circulation amid warm sea surface temperatures conducive to strengthening. Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea, and rough conditions with waves up to 3 meters are expected along the Tamil Nadu and Andhra coasts from November 28 onward.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast across Tamil Nadu until December 1, with isolated extremely heavy downpours—potentially exceeding 200 mm in 24 hours—likely on November 28 and 29, triggering orange and yellow alerts for districts like Chennai, Nagapattinam, Thiruvallur, and Thanjavur. Similar weather patterns will affect coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema, Puducherry, and Kerala, with thunderstorms and gusty winds of 30-50 km/h over the Andaman & Nicobar Islands through November 29. These conditions could lead to urban flooding, landslides in hilly areas, and disruptions to transport and power supply, echoing the impacts of previous cyclones like Michaung in 2023 that battered the same regions.

Also Read: Russia Hands Life Sentences to 8 Over Crimea Bridge Truck Bomb That Alarmed Putin

In response, Tamil Nadu's state disaster management authority has activated emergency operations centers, prepositioned relief teams, and stockpiled essentials in vulnerable coastal hamlets. Schools and colleges in affected districts may close preemptively, while the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deploys battalions for rescue operations. This back-to-back cyclonic activity—hot on the heels of Senyar—highlights the Bay of Bengal's hyperactivity this post-monsoon season, driven by climate change-amplified warming oceans. As Ditwah brews, real-time updates from IMD urge coastal communities to stay indoors, avoid low-lying areas, and heed evacuation orders, ensuring minimal loss of life and property in one of India's most cyclone-prone zones.

Also Read: Justice Or Politics? Hasina’s 21-Year Conviction Stirs Fear and Hope Across Bangladesh