Cyclone Ditwah: IMD Issues Yellow and Orange Alerts for Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh as Deep Depression Forms in Bay of Bengal

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Ditwah formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal near  6.9°N/81.9°E at 1.30 pm (IST) on Thursday, November 27. The cyclonic storm lay close to Pottuvil, South-southeast of Batticaloa and ~700 km SSE of Chennai. The IMD said that the depression will move towards North-northwest (NNW) and will reach Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh coasts by November 30, 2025.

Cyclone Ditwah formed over the SW Bay of Bengal near 6.9°N/81.9°E at 1130 IST today. It lay close to Pottuvil, ~90 km SSE of Batticaloa and ~700 km SSE of Chennai. The system will move NNW and reach off North Tamil Nadu–Puducherry–south AP coasts by early 30 Nov. pic.twitter.com/I8sQbCqbk7

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 27, 2025

Earlier, IMD said the "deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka coast moved north northwestwards with a speed of 17 kmph during the past 6 hours and lay centred at 8.30 pm today, November 27. The cyclone will struck  .7°N and longitude 82.1°E, about 120 km south-southeast of Batticaloa (Sri Lanka), 130 km east-northeast of Hambantota (Sri Lanka), and, 640 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 730 km south-southeast of Chennai (India)."

Also Read | Mumbai University Reschedules Exams Between December 1–4 Due to Maharashtra Local Body Elections.

“It is very likely to continue to move nearly north-northwestwards across southwest Bay of Bengal & adjoining Sri Lanka and intensify further into a cyclonic storm during next 03 hours. Thereafter, it is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards across southwest Bay of Bengal & adjoining Sri Lanka coast towards North #Tamil_Nadu, #Puducherry and adjoining south #Andhra_Pradesh coasts during subsequent 48 hours.” the IMD said.

Cyclone Ditwah

Yemen named the cyclonic storm Ditwah, which is also known as Detwah. "Ditwah" is the name of a famous lagoon on the island of Socotra, Yemen, also known as Detwah Lagoon

Rainfall Alert in Tamil Nadu

IMD issued a yellow and orange alert for Tamil Nadu, Chennai and some other surrounding coastal districts of Tamil Nadu on November 29-30. Several regions across the southern states, including parts of Kerala, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema, and Mahe, are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till November 30, the weather agency said in its bulletin, released at 9:10 a.m. on Thursday.   

Due cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, the IMD said heavy rainfall for Tamil Nadu and other southern states, including Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, to witness heavy showers for the next few days. Chennai and other districts are expected to witness very heavy rainfall till November 30, according to NDTV Profit. 

Coastal areas in Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Andaman and Nicobar Islands will also receive heavy rainfall during the period. The agency has issued a yellow alert for coastal Tamil Nadu for November 28, which forecasts heavy rainfall in several districts, including Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Ariyalur, Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai. It also issued an orange for this period for Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam districts and Karaikal.

Other districts of Tamil Nadu, including Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villuppuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Thanjavur are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on November 29 as the weather department issued an orange alert for these districts, while similar weather conditions will be witness in Puducherry and Karaikal.

For November 30, Chennai and other coastal districts are under orange alert. According to IMD, heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places is likely to occur over Tiruvallur district. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely in Ranipet, Chennai, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts. 

Heavy Rainfall Warning for Andhra Pradesh

According to the meteorological centre in Amravati, Andhra Pradesh's coastal districts, including Rayalaseema, are likely to witness heavy rainfall on November 28, 2025, followed by very heavy rainfall to extremely heavy rainfall on November 29 and 30.

Cyclone Senyar Update

IMD said deep depression over the Strait of Malacca moved east at 18 km/h, weakened into a depression, and was centred near 3.7°N/99.6°E at 1130 IST. It is likely to continue eastwards and weaken into a well-marked low in the next 12 hours.