NEW DELHI, Nov 30 (NNN-PTI) – Authorities, yesterday, issued a red alert in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, as cyclonic storm Ditwah brought heavy rains, officials said.
With Cyclone Ditwah steadily advancing towards the coastal areas in these states, authorities have stepped up preparedness on multiple fronts, from large-scale relief operations to flight cancellations, and district-wide holiday notifications for schools and colleges.
The cyclone swept across neighbouring Sri Lanka on Friday, as torrential rainfall triggered landslides and flooding. Reports said, 153 people have died, another 191 are missing, and more than half a million affected nationwide.
The island nation has declared a state of emergency and appealed for international assistance.
India’s Chennai and its neighbouring areas and Puducherry, last night received heavy rainfall.
Reports said, authorities at Chennai airport have cancelled 54 scheduled flights, in view of the cyclone’s approach and the weather department’s forecast of extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds over the next 48 hours.
“Flights to destinations such as Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Thoothukudi, Salem, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Jaffna are affected,” a local media report said. “Both departures and arrivals have been cancelled, and airlines have advised passengers to avoid last-minute travel to the airport.”
Authorities urged fishermen not to venture into the sea, as strong winds, rough seas, and potential localised flooding along the coast have been predicted. Preparations are underway to evacuate people in low-lying areas, with disaster management teams on alert in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. Disaster response personnel have also been deployed, and some have been kept on standby to tackle any eventuality.– NNN-PTI
