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Cyclone Ditwah Alert: NDRF Teams Deployed as Tamil Nadu Braces for Heavy Rain

Cyclone Ditwah is advancing toward the Tamil Nadu coast, prompting widespread preparedness measures. The state government has positioned 28 disaster response teams across vulnerable districts. Chief Minister MK Stalin has instructed officials to maintain full coordination and keep relief centers ready. All essential services and armed forces remain on standby for emergency support during the severe weather conditions.

Key Points: Cyclone Ditwah Heavy Rain Alert Tamil Nadu NDRF Deployment

  • 28 disaster response teams deployed across 16 vulnerable Tamil Nadu districts
  • Army, Navy and Air Force on standby for emergency rescue operations
  • IMD warns of intense rainfall in Chennai and Delta regions
  • Chief Minister directs officials to ensure uninterrupted essential supplies
2 min read

Cyclone Ditwah: Heavy rain alerts in TN; NDRF, SDRF teams deployed

Tamil Nadu deploys 28 NDRF and SDRF teams as Cyclone Ditwah approaches. Chennai and coastal districts on high alert with heavy rainfall warnings issued by IMD.

"Maintain complete inter-departmental coordination and ensure all relief centres are fully equipped - Chief Minister M.K. Stalin"

Chennai, Nov 29

With Cyclone Ditwah expected to bring intense rainfall across northern Tamil Nadu on Saturday and the day after, the state government has deployed extensive disaster-response manpower across vulnerable districts.

A total of 16 State Disaster Response Force teams and 12 National Disaster Response Force teams have been positioned in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Chennai, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, according to an official release.

The deployment comes amid heavy rainfall warnings issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as Cyclone Ditwah advances towards the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry-south Andhra coastline.

The storm is expected to intensify the downpour, particularly over Chennai and the Delta region, prompting authorities to place all key departments on high alert.

Reviewing the preparedness measures through a video conference with collectors and senior officials, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin instructed district administrations to maintain complete inter-departmental coordination and ensure that all relief centres are fully equipped to house people safely.

He directed monitoring officers to stay stationed in their respective districts until the weather situation stabilises and emphasised the need for uninterrupted essential supplies, effective floodwater drainage and the quick restoration of power in case of outages.

To strengthen disaster-response capacity, Tamil Nadu has sought additional NDRF teams from neighbouring states. Central forces, including the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard, have been asked to remain on standby for emergency support such as rescue operations, evacuation and logistical assistance.

Responding to queries on the likelihood of heavy rain in Chennai, the Chief Minister confirmed that the capital city is also expected to receive intense showers and said precautionary steps have already been taken to protect residents, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister detailed the measures taken to safeguard residents and appealed to the public to follow the IMD warning strictly, avoid stepping out unnecessarily and remain in safe locations until conditions improve.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Living in Chennai's Velachery area which always gets flooded. Hope the drainage systems are actually working this time. The deployment of NDRF teams is reassuring though 👍
A
Arjun K
While the preparations seem good on paper, I hope the coordination between departments is actually effective. Last time there was confusion between corporation and PWD. Let's hope for better execution this time.
S
Sarah B
The mention of Army, Navy and Air Force on standby shows they're taking this very seriously. Good to see central and state forces working together. Stay safe everyone! 🌀
M
Meera T
My family is in Nagapattinam district. They've faced cyclones before and know the drill. Important that people in coastal areas don't take warnings lightly. Better safe than sorry!
V
Vikram M
Hope the power restoration teams are ready. Last cyclone, we were without electricity for 3 days in Tambaram. Quick restoration of essential services is as important as rescue operations.

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