Rough seas and heavy rains in Pamban. | Photo credit: L. Balachandar
Torrential downpour triggered by Cyclone Ditwah has lashed several southern coastal and delta districts of Tamil Nadu since Friday (November 28, 2025) night, inundating residential pockets, damaging standing crops and submerging salt pans, even as the system continued to approach the northern coast of Tamil Nadu.
The Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) has predicted that the heavy downpour will be largely confined to North Tamil Nadu on Sunday (November 30, 2025) before the rainfall and surface winds gradually weaken from Monday (December 1, 2025). North Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, received intermittent rains from Saturday (November 29, 2025) afternoon.
Cylcone Ditwah LIVE update
The cyclone gained momentum and was moving at a speed of 10 km/h over the southwestern Bay of Bengal and adjacent northern Sri Lanka on Saturday evening, about 350 km south of Chennai. The storm will be concentrated over SW Bay of Bengal within 50 km of the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast by early Sunday (30 November 2025) morning and will approach within about 25 km by evening.
B. Amudha, Head (Additional Charge), RMC, said the cyclone is likely to move parallel to the Tamil Nadu coast till Sunday and lose intensity as a depression from Sunday evening as it approaches Chennai. However, landfall is not expected.
Delta areas affected
Heavy rain lashed the delta areas and flooded large stretches of paddy fields, especially in Nagapattinam, Tiruvaruru and Mayiladuthurai, posing a threat to young crops. Kodiayakarai in Nagapattinam district received extremely heavy rainfall of 25 cm followed by Vedaranyam (19 cm) in the last 24 hours till 8:30 am on Saturday.
Mechanized fishing boats moored at Kasimedu fishing harbor in Chennai on November 29, 2025 | Photo credit: B. Velankanni Raj
According to official estimates, paddy crops grown on about 22,000 hectares in Nagapattinam district remain under water. Large areas of salt pans along the coast of Vedaranyam and Kodiyakarai were also inundated.
Tiruvarur Collector V. Mohanachandran said flooding was reported in paddy fields across four low-lying blocks, including Thiruthuraipoondi and Nannilam. The affected paddy crops were 20 to 25 days old and the district administration was closely monitoring the situation.
Rameswaram was the worst affected
Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram district was among the worst affected, with residents in localities like Gandhi Nagar and Natarajapuram stranded due to floods. Some express trains originating from Rameswaram were partially or completely cancelled. Fishing vessels remained anchored as fishermen in Thoothukudi, Rameswaram and Kanniyakumari remained off the sea this week, Fisheries Department officials noted.
Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon interacted with the people at the relief centers about the facilities available.
Heavy rains continue to lash Pamban and surrounding areas on November 29, 2025. | Photo credit: L. Balachandar
In Chennai, discharges from key drinking water reservoirs have been steadily increasing following an orange alert issued for the city and neighboring districts. Flood warnings have been issued for downstream areas, including the Chembarambakkam reservoir. The RMC issued a red alert on Sunday indicating extremely heavy rainfall in Tiruvallur and Ranipet districts.
Published – 29 Nov 2025 20:46 IST
