A new cyclonic system has formed over the Bay of Bengal, becoming the second cyclone in just 24 hours. Cyclone Ditwah, currently positioned near the Sri Lanka coast, is moving towards South India and is expected to reach the North Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coast by the evening of November 30.
While the system is set to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall over several parts of South India, Odisha is expected to witness only minimal impact, with cloudy weather likely over southern and coastal districts due to the cyclone’s outer influence.
Second Cyclone in 24 Hours
Cyclone Senyar, which formed earlier in the Malacca Strait, weakened into a depression without affecting India or Odisha. Meanwhile, a separate deep depression near the Sri Lanka coast intensified into Cyclone Ditwah, currently located around 700 km south-southeast of Chennai and 610 km from Puducherry.
It is moving north-northwest and is projected to approach the north Tamil Nadu–Puducherry–south Andhra Pradesh coast by November 30.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that Ditwah’s primary impact will be felt in Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh.
Odisha Farmers Worried Despite Low Impact Forecast
Even though Odisha is unlikely to face significant weather disturbances, fear of possible rain has prompted farmers across several districts to harvest paddy crops early. The anxiety stems from the damage caused a month ago when Cyclone Montha brought heavy rainfall, severely affecting agricultural activities.
This urgency is visible in Pipili and Konark in Puri district, as well as parts of Laxmipur in Koraput district, where farmers are using both machines and manual labour to speed up harvesting.
One farmer in Pipili said, “Our paddy will be destroyed if rain comes like last year. That is why we are harvesting as fast as we can—using both machines and manual methods.”
A farmer from Konark added, “We harvested nearly one acre, but we are struggling to transport it from the fields. We are feeling helpless.”
No Rainfall Expected in Odisha for Seven Days
Despite widespread concerns, the IMD has predicted no rainfall in Odisha for the next week. Meanwhile, winter temperatures have returned, with six locations recording minimum temperatures below 10°C.
Night temperatures are expected to fall by 2–3°C over the next two days, according to the IMD Regional Centre in Bhubaneswar.
Meteorologist Biswajit Sahu noted that Ditwah is likely to move parallel to the Sri Lanka coast before affecting Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, with only moderate rainfall possible in Malkangiri and Koraput between December 1–2.
