54 Flights Cancelled, Schools Shut: Cyclone Ditwah Affects Tamil Nadu

With Cyclone Ditwah steadily advancing towards the north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, authorities have stepped up preparedness on multiple fronts, from large-scale relief operations to flight cancellations and district-wide holiday notifications for schools and colleges. 

The system, currently moving across coastal Sri Lanka and the adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, continues to intensify, prompting an orange alert across several regions. 

Torrential rains and floods triggered by Cyclone Ditwah have killed 123 people across Sri Lanka so far, with another 130 still missing, the Disaster Management Centre said Saturday. Director General Sampath Kotuwegoda said relief operations were underway with 43,995 people moved to state-run welfare centres after their homes were destroyed in the week-long heavy rains.

Cyclone's Current Position And IMD Forecast

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Ditwah over coastal Sri Lanka and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with the speed of 8 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centered at 05:30 am today over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Sri Lanka.

It lay approximately:

• 300 km south-southeast of Puducherry
• 400 km south of Chennai

The Cyclonic Storm Ditwah [Pronunciation: Ditwah] over coastal Sri Lanka and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with the speed of 8 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 29th November 2025 over the southwest Bay of… pic.twitter.com/xa2S8fg9rQ

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 29, 2025

The IMD said the cyclone will very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards and reach over southwest Bay of Bengal near North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by early morning on Sunday.

Wind speeds along the coast are currently 50-60 kmph, gusting to 70 kmph. Winds are expected to strengthen significantly, peaking at gale-force speeds of 70-80 kmph (gusting up to 90 kmph) between Saturday morning and the morning of Sunday. Conditions will then ease, returning to 50-60 kmph squally winds by December 1. The sea is currently rough to very rough and is forecast to escalate to very rough to high until Sunday.

Chennai Airport Cancels 54 Flights

Chennai Airport authorities have cancelled 54 scheduled flights in view of the cyclone's approach and the IMD's forecast of extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds over the next 48 hours.

The suspended services include ATR-type regional turboprop flights scheduled between Saturday morning and night. Flights to destinations such as Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Thoothukudi, Salem, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Jaffna have been affected.

Both departures and arrivals have been cancelled, and airlines have advised passengers to avoid last-minute travel to the airport. Airport officials said the decision was taken after assessing the risks posed by cyclonic winds and heavy downpour.

Severe Rainfall Warning Across Tamil Nadu

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has warned of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across several districts as Cyclone Ditwah intensifies.

According to official notifications, schools and colleges are closed today in Perambalur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Pudukottai, Puducherry and Karaikal.

In Villupuram, Thanjavur and Tiruchi districts, only schools have been declared a holiday, while colleges will continue to operate unless further instructions are issued.

The Pondicherry Central University announced that all exams scheduled to be held on Saturday have been postponed and a holiday was declared for all classes at the university because of Cyclone Ditwah. A release from the Registrar of the University on Friday night said that the postponement of examinations and also cancellation of classes were due to a communication received from the Coast Guard about the cyclone and the heavy rains.

Chennai and adjoining districts have been placed under warnings for intense rain and gusty winds. The RMC expects:

• Very heavy to extremely heavy spells in Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai
• Intense rainfall in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Ranipet and Tiruvannamalai
• Heavy to very heavy rain in Salem, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Tiruchi and Ariyalur
• Intense spells across delta districts like Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam
• Heavy rainfall in Vellore, Tirupathur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Namakkal and Karur

State Advisory 

District administrations have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, stay clear of waterlogged areas and continuously monitor official updates.

Cyclonic Storm DITWAH Alert ⚠️

North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the beaches of South Andhra Pradesh are under cyclone watch as Cyclonic Storm DITWAH moves north-northwest across Sri Lanka and the southwest Bay of Bengal. The system is expected to cross near the coast by early… pic.twitter.com/xf1shIkeed

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 28, 2025

Fishermen have been strictly warned against venturing into the sea due to rough conditions and strong winds along the coast. 

Fishermen in Thanjavur's coastal areas have anchored their boats safely due to Cyclone Ditwah. Around 1,500 mechanised boat operators and over 2,000 country boat fishermen have secured their vessels along the shores.

Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu: Fishermen in Thanjavur's coastal areas have anchored their boats safely due to Cyclone Ditwah. Around 1,500 mechanised boat operators and over 2,000 country boat fishermen have secured their vessels along the shores pic.twitter.com/vIcgTGEsiG

— IANS (@ians_india) November 29, 2025

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also held consultations with the District Collectors of 14 districts regarding precautionary measures following Cyclone Ditwah on Friday.

#CycloneDitwah பாதிப்புகளில் இருந்து மக்களைக் காக்க 14 மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர்களுடன் முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகள் குறித்து ஆலோசனை மேற்கொண்டு அறிவுறுத்தல்களை வழங்கியிருக்கிறேன்.

16 #SDRF படைகளும் 12 #NDRF படைகளும் கடுமையான மழைப்பொழிவு ஏற்படக்கூடிய மாவட்டங்களுக்கு அனுப்பி… pic.twitter.com/rIyhxAbehj

— M.K.Stalin - தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) November 28, 2025

A total of 16 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and 12 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been positioned in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Chennai, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, according to an official release.

Tourists have been asked not to visit Dhanushokodi on the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island, which is west of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka, as a precaution. The town was destroyed in the 1964 cyclone in Rameswaram.

India Extends Humanitarian Aid To Sri Lanka

India expanded its humanitarian support to Sri Lanka on Saturday under Operation Sagar Bandhu, as an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft landed in Colombo with nearly 12 tonnes of relief material.

#OperationSagarBandhu unfolds. @IAF_MCC C-130 J plane carrying approx 12 tons of humanitarian aid including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, and ready-to-eat food items lands in Colombo.

🇮🇳 🇱🇰 pic.twitter.com/btzlnZeO8x

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) November 29, 2025

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared the update on X, stating that the consignment includes tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits and ready-to-eat food items.

India dispatched an 80-member contingent of NDRF rescuers and specialised search dogs to Sri Lanka today for relief and rescue operations following the unprecedented floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

The personnel, divided into two teams and accompanied by four rescue dogs, departed from the Hindon airbase near Delhi for Colombo aboard an IL-76 IAF aircraft around 4:00 am today, an official spokesperson said.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath on Saturday expressed gratitude to S Jaishankar for the humanitarian assistance sent to the nation under Operation Sagar Bandhu following Cyclone Ditwah.

Thank you, my friend @DrSJaishankar, for the assistance at this hard time.
🇱🇰 🇮🇳 https://t.co/T1CY92rutx

— Vijitha Herath (@HMVijithaHerath) November 29, 2025

Former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mohamed Uvais Mohamed Ali Sabry also thanked India for the immediate cyclone relief.

Thank you, India 🇮🇳, for the urgent cyclone relief sent under #OperationSagarBandhu.
Sri Lanka remembers with gratitude the crucial support you extended during the 2022 economic crisis.
Your friendship continues to make a meaningful difference. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/vI5ZkRbtbh

— M U M Ali Sabry (@alisabrypc) November 29, 2025

India on Friday launched 'Operation Sagar Bandhu' to assist Sri Lanka in its hour of crisis.

Operation Sagar Bandhu | Humanitarian Assistance

In the wake of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah across Sri Lanka, India swiftly launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to bolster relief efforts.

The Indian Air Force promptly deployed one C-130 and one IL-76 from Hindan Air… pic.twitter.com/cIT7gKiPNs

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) November 29, 2025

The first tranche of relief materials was handed over after the consignments were transported by the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri to the island nation.

(With inputs from agencies)