Chennai: Cyclone Ditwah has weakened into a deep depression as it lay centered over the southwest Bay of Bengal, within 35 km from the coasts of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The storm, whose path continued northwards at a speed of 10 kmph, is expected to weaken further into a depression. However, rain continued to Chennai and other parts of the southern state.
Three people have died in rain-related incidents triggered by Cyclone Ditwah in Tamil Nadu, state revenue and disaster management minister KKSSR Ramachandran said.
Even as the weather system is weakening, IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rain at a few places in Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Chengalpattu and Vellore districts.
Heavy rain is also likely to occur at isolated places in Tirupathur, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram districts, and Puducherry.
Strong winds with speeds of up to 60-70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph, are likely over the north coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, as well as the south coastal Karaikal area.
Meanwhile, the death toll from floods and landslides in Sri Lanka, triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, climbed to 334. Nearly 400 people are still missing and over 1.3 million have been affected across the island, Sri Lanka’s disaster agency said.
According to the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, the final group of stranded Indian passengers was evacuated under Operation Sagar Bandhu at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
