Cyclone Ditwah in Tamil Nadu has caused three deaths, 150 cattle fatalities, and damaged 57,000 hectares of farmland amid heavy rains.
Three people have died in rain-related incidents triggered by cyclone Ditwah in Tamil Nadu over the last 24 hours, state revenue and disaster management minister KKSSR Ramachandran said on Sunday, adding that nearly 150 cattle have died and 57,000 hectares of farmland has been damaged in the delta districts due to the impact.
“Three people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents since last evening. While two persons died due to wall collapse in Tuticorin and Thanjavur, respectively, a 20-year-old youth died due to electrocution in Mayiladuthurai,” he said, briefing reporters at the State Emergency Operations Centre.
He added that the heavy rains due to the cyclone also damaged crops in about 56,000 hectares in various districts which are inundated. “Crops in about 24,000 hectares in Nagapattinam district, over 15,000 hectares in Tiruvarur district and about 8,000 hectares in Mayiladuthurai district, are affected,” the minister said. “After the flood water recedes, district officials will calculate the actual damage and accordingly the Chief Minister will announce a compensation to farmers.”
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ditwah, which killed over 300 people in Sri Lanka, was centered about 80km east of Jaffna (Sri Lanka), 140 km southeast of Vedaranniyam (Tamil Nadu), and 280km south-southeast of Puducherry.
IMD had issued a red category warning for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts.
In a statement issued later, the IMD said that the cyclone weakened into a deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts by November 30 evening.
“The Cyclonic Storm Ditwah over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts moved northwards with the speed of 5 kmph, weakened into a Deep Depression and lay centered over the same region around 5.30pm. It was about 90 km east of Cuddalore, 130 km northeast of Karaikal, 90 km east-southeast of Puducherry, 180 km north-northeast of Vedaranniyam and 140 km south-southeast of Chennai. “The minimum distance of the centre of the deep depression from north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts is about 80 km,” the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai said.
“It is very likely to move nearly northwards parallel to North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts and weaken gradually further into a depression around December 1st morning.”
It is likely to get colder, with a 2-3 degree C fall in minimum temperature expected over the next two days over northwest and east India, India Meteorological Department has warned.
