CHENNAI: Cyclonic storm Ditwah has intensified over the southwest Bay of Bengal, prompting the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) to issue a red alert for Saturday in several districts, including Chennai and Puducherry. The storm system is predicted to bring extremely heavy rainfall and severe winds to the region.
As of Thursday 5.30 pm, the storm was located about 520 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 620 km south-southeast of Chennai. The weather system is expected to move north-northwestwards, skirting the Sri Lanka coast before reaching the coasts of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and South Andhra by early Sunday.
The intense rainfall is expected to continue into Sunday, with heavy to very heavy rain likely in Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Ranipet. This weather event may help alleviate the rain deficit that the region has been experiencing this month.
Prior to the storm's peak, Chennai may experience one or two spells of light to moderate rain, with thunderstorms and lightning, on Friday.
The RMC has strictly warned fishermen against venturing into the sea; those already at sea have been urged to return immediately. Squally conditions with wind speeds of 55-65 kmph, gusting to 75 kmph, are already prevailing. These winds are likely to intensify into gale-force winds of 70-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph, by Friday morning, and further to 80-90 kmph, gusting to 100 kmph, by Saturday morning. Severe winds are expected to persist until Sunday, before gradually subsiding on Monday.