Cyclone Ditwah Likely to Form in Bay of Bengal; Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh Put on Alert

India is preparing for the possibility of a second cyclone in just days, as a fresh weather system over the Bay of Bengal continues to strengthen. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday that a depression near the southwest Bay of Bengal and the Sri Lanka coast has now intensified into a deep depression and is expected to develop into Cyclone Ditwah within the next 12 hours.

The alert comes even as Cyclone Senyar—active over the Strait of Malacca—continues to weaken.

IMD Issues Fresh Alert for Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh

According to the IMD, the developing system is likely to bring heavy rainfall, wind speeds of 80–90 kmph, and rough sea conditions across coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh later this week.

A pre-cyclone watch (yellow message) has been issued for North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and South Andhra Pradesh. Authorities have urged coastal residents to stay alert, avoid venturing into the sea, and follow official advisories.

The IMD said the weather system is expected to move north-northwestwards, skirting close to the Sri Lankan coastline before gaining strength over the southwest Bay of Bengal by November 29. Most forecasting models indicate that the system may linger near southeast Sri Lanka for the next 24 hours before intensifying further.

Cyclone Senyar Weakens but Rainfall Likely to Continue

Meanwhile, Cyclone Senyar—which formed earlier this week—has now weakened significantly and is expected to lose its cyclonic strength by Thursday evening. However, residual moisture from the system will continue to bring isolated heavy rain to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands over the next couple of days.

Authorities on Alert Along the East Coast

Fishermen have been advised to remain ashore, with officials warning of hazardous sea conditions as the Bay of Bengal gears up for yet another cyclonic event in quick succession. Coastal disaster response teams are on standby as monitoring continues.

While the exact landfall trajectory of the potential Cyclone Ditwah remains uncertain, meteorologists caution that the system’s strengthening trend warrants close observation.