Cyclone Ditwah Brings Destruction, Death to Sri Lanka; India Prepares for Impact
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India is bracing for the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which has already claimed 153 lives and left nearly 200 missing in Sri Lanka. The cyclone, which has destroyed over 20,000 homes and displaced 108,000 people, is expected to make landfall near the Tamil Nadu coast on Sunday. As the cyclone inches closer, authorities in India have deployed 28 disaster response teams and set up 6,000 relief camps in Tamil Nadu. The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for parts of the state, warning of extremely heavy rain and damaging winds. Chennai airport has cancelled 54 flights, and the railways have activated a war room to prepare for the impact. The cyclone is forecasted to travel north-northwest and arrive over the southwest Bay of Bengal, close to the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coastline, by early Sunday morning. The storm is expected to bring winds of up to 80 kmph and storm surges of up to 1m. In Sri Lanka, the death toll from the cyclone has risen to 153, with 191 people still missing. The island nation has declared a state of emergency and sought international aid after the cyclone destroyed over 20,000 homes and displaced 108,000 people. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with over 24,000 troops engaged in the effort. India has also deployed two specialized NDRF teams to Sri Lanka to support search, rescue, and relief operations. The country has sent around 21 tonnes of relief materials to the island nation and has set up an emergency help desk at the Bandaranaike International Airport to assist stranded Indian citizens. The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rainfall across parts of Andhra Pradesh for four days, with isolated locations expected to receive extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20cm. Telangana is also expected to experience light to moderate rainfall, with heavy rain at isolated places on Sunday. As the cyclone approaches, authorities in India are urging people to remain indoors and avoid venturing out to sea. The NDRF has also warned of the potential for widespread impact on traffic and has advised fishermen not to venture out due to the high sea conditions.
