Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 30 : The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for several districts across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, including Chennai, for the next three hours on Sunday till 10 am, warning of light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning as Cyclone Ditwah continues to influence weather conditions along the country's east coast.
In its notice, the IMD stated that light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and lightning is very likely to take place in a few places over the Ariyalur, Chengalpattu, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dindigul, Kancheepuram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagappattinam, Perambalur, Ranipet, Thanjavur, Nilgiris, Thiruvallur, Thiruvarur, Tiruppur, Tiruvannamalai, and Viluppuram districts of Tamil Nadu, as well as in areas of Puducherry and Karaikal.
It further cautioned about waterlogging in some areas, along with slippery roads in others.
In Nagapattinam, continuous rainfall over the past few days, triggered by the approaching cyclone, has led to rainwater accumulating outside the sanctum sanctorum or garbhagriha of the Arulmigu Vedaranyeswara Swamy Temple.
Temple priest Thyagarajan said the heavy rains over the last three days had led to stagnant water entering parts of the temple, reducing the number of devotees visiting.
"Due to the heavy rains over the past three days, rainwater has accumulated inside the temple, resulting in fewer devotees visiting. The stagnant water is now being pumped out using a motor," the priest said.
Meanwhile, the Chengalpattu district is witnessing widespread heavy rainfall as the impact of Cyclone Ditwah intensifies. Areas such as Mamallapuram, Thiruporur, Thirukazhukundram, Madurantakam, Cheyyur, and Chengalpattu town are also experiencing persistent rain and mild winds, with authorities issuing advisories urging residents to take precautionary measures.
Red alert has also been issued in some districts of Tamil Nadu and an orange alert for heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning. The district administration has placed disaster response teams on standby. The continuous downpour has also led to paddy fields being submerged in parts of many districts, raising concerns about potential crop damage.