Chennai, 2 Dec

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a red alert for Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts in Tamil Nadu, as heavy rains from Cyclone Ditwah are expected to batter the state.

Issuing a red now-cast warning, IMD predicted heavy spells or more than 15 mm/hr accompanied by moderate thunderstorms with maximum wind speed 40-60 kmph.

The IMD has called for a total suspension of fishing operations over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, along and off Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, south coastal Andhra Pradesh, north Sri Lanka, the Gulf of Mannar, and the Comorin area till this morning.

The Deep Depression (remnant of Cyclonic Storm Ditwah) over west central and adjoining areas of the southwest Bay of Bengal and the North Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh coasts recurved slowly southwestwards at a speed of 3 kmph, weakened into a Depression, and lay centred at 5:30 am.

It lay centred over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of west-central Bay of Bengal, North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and South Andhra Pradesh coasts, near latitude 12.9°N and longitude 80.5°E, about 40 km east-southeast of Chennai, 130 km northeast of Puducherry, 150 km north-northeast of Cuddalore and 180 km south-southeast of Nellore. The minimum distance of the Centre of the depression from the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts is about 25 km.

It is very likely to continue to move slowly southwestwards towards the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts and maintain its intensity of depression during the next 12 hours. Thereafter, while moving towards the coast, it is very likely to weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area during the subsequent 12 hours.

Schools and colleges across Tiruvallur, Chennai, and Kancheepuram districts will remain closed today.

The decision was taken by district authorities late on Monday as a precautionary measure.

Chennai District Collector Roshni Siddharth Jagade announced that all educational institutions in the district would observe a holiday on December 2 due to weather alerts. Similar orders were issued by the District Collectors of Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram.

Officials said the holiday has been declared to ensure student safety amid the possibility of intense rainfall and waterlogging.

Three people have died in rain-related incidents caused by Cyclone Ditawh in Tamil Nadu, state Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said on Sunday.