Cyclone Ditwah: Heavy rain likely in coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema

Cyclonic storm Ditwah is gathering strength over the Bay of Bengal, poised to drench south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema with sweeping rains over the next three days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Friday.

In its early-morning bulletin, the IMD painted a picture of a swirling system drifting north-northwestward along the Sri Lankan coast and the adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal. By 2:30 am, the cyclone was positioned about 460 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 560 km from Chennai, slowly but steadily making its way toward the shores of North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh. It is expected to hover over the region by the dawn of 30 November.

As Ditwah approaches, the skies over Andhra Pradesh are set to darken. Light to moderate showers are likely to grace many parts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema, intensifying into heavy to very heavy downpours on 29 November. By 30 November, some areas may witness extremely heavy rainfall, crossing 20 cm, as the cyclone’s full force unfurls.

The rain is expected to taper off from 1 December, though stray pockets may still see heavy to very heavy showers. On December 2, isolated bursts of heavy rain could persist as Ditwah slowly releases its hold on the region.

Coastal winds are also expected to surge, with gusts reaching 50–70 kmph from Friday evening — enough to churn the sea and keep fishermen ashore. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has urged them not to venture out and advised farmers to safeguard crops and take all necessary precautions.

For emergencies, the public has been asked to reach out to the authority’s toll-free numbers: 1070, 112, and 1800-425-0101. Managing director Prakhar Jain appealed to residents to stay alert and heed advisories.

Districts including Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai, Kadapa, Annamaya, Chittoor, and Tirupati may see light to moderate rain on Friday. On Saturday, Annamaya, Chittoor, and Tirupati could be lashed by heavy to very heavy rain, while several others — including Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai, and Kadapa — are likely to receive heavy showers.

By Sunday, the storm may pour its might over Prakasam, Nellore, Kadapa, Annamaya, Chittoor, and Tirupati, with other districts like Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, and Sri Sathya Sai also bracing for a wet and windy day.

With IANS inputs