Premium

Chennai rains, weather forecast today: Cyclone Ditwah weakens near Tamil Nadu coast, but heavy rainfall and disruption continue

Cyclone Ditwah Update | Chennai Rains, Weather Forecast Today: The weakening storm follows a catastrophic landfall in Sri Lanka, where the death toll climbed to 334, with more than 300 people still missing, local disaster management authorities said. India has deployed assistance for ongoing rescue and relief operations there.

3 min readChennaiUpdated: Dec 1, 2025 03:26 PM IST

Chennai is likely to receive heavy rain by the weekend.

Chennai saw steady but moderate rain, averaging 3 cm and reaching 5.58 cm in Ennore, easing residents’ fears of severe flooding.. (File PTI).

Cyclone Ditwah Chennai Weather Update: Cyclone Ditwah weakened into a deep depression late Sunday, but not before leaving a trail of destruction across Sri Lanka and triggering widespread rainfall and disruptions across Tamil Nadu and adjoining coastal regions. The system hovered over the southwest Bay of Bengal and passed within 20 kilometers of the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coastline by early Monday, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC).

The weakening storm follows a catastrophic landfall in Sri Lanka, where the death toll climbed to 334, with more than 300 people still missing, local disaster management authorities said. India has deployed assistance for ongoing rescue and relief operations there.

Across Tamil Nadu, intermittent showers intensified through Sunday, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red warning for the coastal districts of Cuddalore, Chennai, Puducherry and parts of Andhra Pradesh. Extremely heavy rain is likely over the next 24 hours, especially in districts such as Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Chengalpattu and Ranipet. Winds could gust up to 80 kmph, and the IMD has advised fishermen to avoid sea travel until conditions improve.

In Chennai, rainfall remained measured but steady. Data from the Greater Chennai Corporation showed an average of 3 cm in the 24 hours ending Sunday morning, with Ennore logging the highest at 5.58 cm. Many residents prepared for severe flooding – a familiar fear in a city still haunted by its major flood years – but the weather largely remained calm through much of Sunday.

Local authorities nevertheless mobilised aggressively. More than 22,000 civic workers were deployed, seven uprooted trees were cleared, and stagnant water along arterial stretches — including Thiruvottiyur High Road — was pumped out. The Corporation set up 20 medical camps and distributed over 32,500 food packets, mostly to low-lying neighborhoods in Adyar, Velachery, and Sholinganallur.

Elsewhere in the state, the cyclone’s effects proved deadly. Officials confirmed three rain-related deaths, including two from wall collapses in Tuticorin and Thanjavur, and an electrocution in Mayiladuthurai. More than 57,000 hectares of farmland have been inundated across the Cauvery delta.

Southern Railway activated an emergency preparedness plan to safeguard infrastructure and passenger movement, especially along the high-impact coastal corridor.

Story continues below this ad

Though the system is expected to weaken further, meteorologists warned that cloud bands could continue to fuel rainfall through Monday morning.

The name Ditwah, suggested by Yemen, refers to a saltwater lagoon — a calm meaning now sharply contrasted by the storm it left behind.

Arun Janardhanan

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Taboola...