The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a pre-cyclone watch for the coasts of north Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh, as a cyclonic storm continues to intensify over the Bay of Bengal.
The weather system, officially named Cyclonic Storm ‘Ditwah’ (pronounced Dit-wah), strengthened from a deep depression positioned over the southwest Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Sri Lanka coast.
As of 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, the system was located near latitude 6.9°N and longitude 81.9°E, placing it close to the east of Pottuvil, Sri Lanka.
According to the IMD bulletin, Cyclone Ditwah is very likely to move in a north-northwesterly direction, tracking across the southwest Bay of Bengal over the next 24 hours.
Authorities in the potentially affected regions have urged residents to remain alert and follow updates issued by official meteorological and disaster management agencies.
Meanwhile, the IMD has advised fishermen to avoid venturing into the Southwest Bay of Bengal and nearby sea areas due to rough conditions expected as the system intensifies.
