The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Saturday as Cyclone Ditwah nears the coast. The IMD further warned of heavy rainfall at isolated places, likely over Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Villuppuram, Chengalpattu districts and Puducherry-Karaikal region.
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Strong winds and rainfall have already hit the coastal areas of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
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As reported by ANI, on preparations related to Cyclone Ditwah, Nellore Joint Collectorate, Mogili Venkateswarlu said, “…most areas of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have been affected by this cyclone, but Nellore district has received only light rains today. All district-level employees have been alerted and various departments have taken necessary precautions and all district-level departments…” instructions have been issued.
In Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, heavy rainfall caused excess water from the city and surrounding areas to flow towards the Port Trust coast and merge with the sea, which was unusually rough.
Strong marine activity pushed a large amount of seaweed and other seabed vegetation ashore. The district administration urged residents to remain cautious amid heavy rain and turbulent sea conditions and avoid coastal areas unless necessary.
Read also | Sri Lanka declares a state of emergency to deal with disaster relief operationsRead also | ‘Rain Rain Go Away’: 54 flights canceled in Tamil Nadu due to Cyclone Ditwah
The IMD said Cyclone Ditwah is likely to move north-northwest (NNW) and approach the coast of North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and South Andhra Pradesh by tomorrow.
The cyclone will come within 25 km of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts by Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has set up 6,000 camps across the state, KKSSR Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Ramachandran said on Saturday.
“We have put up so many camps so that people can stay in the cyclone-hit areas. Currently, we have set up 6,000 camps across Tamil Nadu, but people have come in very few numbers… The rain (clouds) are now moving from Ramanathapuram district towards the coastal districts and there is not much impact due to the rain,” said KKSSR Ramachandran.
The Minister further informed that the rainwater has affected rice cultivation in the Cauvery delta areas. The minister said the government would also provide compensation to the farmers.
“In Delta districts, rice cultivation is affected by rainwater flooding. We expect it to drain within 2 days and once it does, we will calculate the loss and provide compensation to the farmers,” he said.
The minister further informed that 28 teams of both NDRF and SDRF have been deployed to provide relief to civilians.
“We have 28 teams of both NDRF and SDRF deployed. We have asked for 10 more teams. They are also going through the flight now. We have also asked the Coast Guard to help if there is any disaster,” he said.
Cyclone Ditwah, which is expected to make landfall in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry tomorrow evening, has killed 123 people in Sri Lanka and another 130 are reported missing.
The extreme weather system has destroyed nearly 15,000 houses across the country and sent nearly 44,000 people to the state’s temporary shelters, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) said on Saturday.
