Red Alert Issued for Tamil Nadu as Cyclone Ditwah Claims 300+ Lives in Sri Lanka

Cyclone Ditwah is intensifying over the southwest Bay of Bengal, the IMD has issue a red alert for northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and parts of south Andhra Pradesh. The system may bring strong winds, heavy rain, and coastal disruption in the next 24–48 hours.

This cyclone has already caused severe devastation in Sri Lanka, where over 300 people have died and nearly 400 remain missing after extensive flooding and landslides.

More than 1.3 million people have been affected in Sri Lanka, with around 20,000 homes destroyed and over 100,000 residents relocated to government shelters, making this the worst disaster since the 2004 Asian tsunami.

India has stepped up support, with the Indian Air Force deploying aircraft under Operation Sagar Bandhu to supply relief materials and assist rescue operations in Sri Lanka. Over 400 stranded Indian nationals were flown back from Colombo, according to PTI.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain over Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Chengalpattu and Vellore districts. Tamil Nadu has already reported three cyclone-related deaths, according to state disaster management minister KKSSR Ramachandran.

Authorities continue to urge coastal residents to stay indoors, avoid low-lying areas, and follow official advisories as Cyclone Ditwah moves closer to the Indian coastline.