Red alert downgraded as Ditwah weakens near Chennai

-- The red alert issued earlier on Tuesday (Dec 2) was downgraded to an orange alert at noon for Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu and Ranipet districts.

-- Dec 2: Yellow alert for Vellore, Tiruvanamalai, Villupuram, Puducherry, Kallakuruchi, and Cuddalore.

-- The remnant of Cyclonic Storm Ditwah weakened into a depression early Tuesday after drifting southwestwards at about 3 kmph, and at 8:30 am, it was around 40 km east-southeast of Chennai and about 25 km from the north Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coast.

-- The system is expected to continue moving slowly southwestwards towards the coast, maintain its intensity for the next 12 hours, and then weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area, according to the latest India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin.