Air India issues travel advisory for Cyclone Ditwah

NEW DELHI: Air India on Saturday issued a travel advisory on the possible disruption in flight operations due to heavy rain and strong winds resulting from Cyclone Ditwah

Air India requested the travellers to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport. The airlines also advised people to contact their call assistance for any assistance.

In a post on X, Air India stated, “Heavy rain and strong winds resulting from Cyclone Ditwah may impact our flights operating to and from Chennai and some other cities in southern India.

“You are requested to check the status of your flights here https://airindia.com/in/en/manage/flight-status.html before proceeding to the airport. For any assistance, please contact our 24×7 Call Centre at 011-69329333 / 011-69329999,” they added.

#TravelAdvisory

Heavy rain and strong winds resulting from Cyclone Ditwah may impact our flights operating to and from Chennai and some other cities in the southern India.

You are requested to check the status of your flights here https://t.co/5vemTROi62 before proceeding to…

— Air India (@airindia) November 29, 2025

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as Cyclone Ditwah approaches closer to the coastal areas.

IMD warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy rain at isolated spots, likely over Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Villuppuram, Chengalpattu districts, and the Puducherry-Karaikal region.

IMD has stated that Cyclone Ditwah is likely to move North-Northwest (NNW) and will approach the North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and South Andhra Pradesh coasts by tomorrow.

The cyclone will come within 25 km of the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts on Sunday evening.

The cyclone will downgrade from the classification of cyclonic storm on Monday morning.

IMD scientist DR Pattnaik said, “As per the last update around 11.30 am-12 pm, Cyclone Ditwah lies about 350 km south of Chennai. It is gradually heading north-northwest. It is above the Southwest Bay of Bengal and near Sri Lanka. With a speed of 10 kmph, it is heading in a north-northwest direction…We have issued a warning of 70-80 kmph gusting, and it will maintain that. On the morning of 1st December, it will downgrade from the classification of cyclonic storm.”

Additionally, Joint Collector of Nellore, Mogili Venkateswarlu, highlighted that the cyclone has affected Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, but only moderate rain occurred in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

“Most areas of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were affected by this cyclone, but in Nellore district, only moderate rains occurred today. All district-level staff have been alerted, and various departments have taken precautionary measures,” he said.

“Guidance has been issued to district-level officers, and all departments are ensuring necessary precautions,” he added.

Moreover, the Puducherry District Collector has ordered the closure of all liquor shops and liquor stores in Puducherry by 8 pm tonight.

Cyclone Ditwah, which is expected to make landfall in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Sunday evening, has killed 123 people in Sri Lanka, with another 130 reported missing.

The extreme weather system has destroyed nearly 15,000 homes across the country, sending almost 44,000 people to state-run temporary shelters, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Saturday. (ANI)