Cyclone Ditwah: Strong winds, rough seas hit Puducherry; tourists share experiences

Puducherry [India], November 30 : Strong winds and rough sea conditions were reported along the Puducherry coast as Cyclone Ditwah continues to move closer, prompting authorities to issue warnings and enforce precautionary measures.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert, as the cyclonic storm over the southwest Bay of Bengal advanced northwards at a speed of seven kmph, posing a severe threat to the northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts.
Tourists in Puducherry shared their experiences with ANI as the cyclone is reported to be moving closer.
Bunty Prasad, a tourist, told ANI, "We came to Puducherry for travelling yesterday. The rain caused by the cyclone has made it difficult for us to move around. We also have little children with us, so it is a little difficult while travelling"
Another tourist added, "We came to Puducherry yesterday for our trip, but suddenly we came to know about the cyclone and for our safety, they (officials) are not allowing us to go inside the sea. We are following the rules, standing on the safer side, and not going inside. We will be leaving today."
The IMD has urged residents to remain indoors, avoid venturing into coastal areas, and follow instructions issued by local authorities. Fishermen have been specifically warned against venturing into the sea along affected coasts.
At 8:30 PM IST, the storm was centred near latitude 10.5°N and longitude 80.6°E, approximately 110 km northeast of Jaffna (Sri Lanka), 80 km east of Vedaranniyam, 100 km east-southeast of Karaikal, 180 km south-southeast of Puducherry, and 280 km south of Chennai. It is expected to move north-northwestwards and reach the southwest Bay of Bengal near the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast by the early morning of November 30.
In response to the cyclone, Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics amd Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, reviewed preparedness measures with the General Manager and teams of Southern Railways.
The Union Minister stressed the need to establish dedicated helplines and passenger-assistance desks to support travellers amid potential cancellations or rerouting.
He reaffirmed Indian Railways' commitment to public safety. He has instructed concerned officials to ensure the activation of War Rooms at divisional, Zonal, and Railway Board levels to monitor the situation and remain alert for any extreme situation. He has also asked railway officials to coordinate with civil administration authorities and proactively communicate with passengers until normalcy is restored.
The IMD has warned that the cyclone will come within 60 km, 50 km, and 25 km of the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coastline by midnight today, early morning, and evening of tomorrow, respectively. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted at several places, with heavy rain at isolated locations across Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Villuppuram, Chengalpattu, and Puducherry-Karaikal.
Other districts, including Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Ranipet, are likely to witness heavy rainfall, while isolated regions in Vellore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, and Theni may also experience significant showers.