Chennai: Four southern districts of Tamil Nadu — Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram — have been placed on high alert as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moves closer to cyclonic intensity. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of very heavy rainfall in these districts on Wednesday, with the weather system expected to strengthen further over the next 24 hours.
The deep depression, which intensified from a low-pressure area over the Bay, is moving west-northwest and may gain additional strength. While earlier predictions suggested a potential cyclone, IMD has now indicated only that the system will continue to intensify. Meanwhile, another low-pressure area persists near the Malacca Strait, and a separate system is active over the southwest Bay of Bengal, southern Sri Lanka and the adjoining Indian Ocean.
Together, they have triggered widespread heavy rainfall across Tamil Nadu, submerging vast stretches of farmland. In Cuddalore district, nearly 1,500 acres of paddy fields in Poovalai, Alamelu Mangapuram and Manikollai remain under water. Farmers blame repeated flooding on the Paravanar river, alleging that embankments were not built even though silt was removed under a river improvement project. Nagapattinam district has suffered severe crop losses, with 15,000 acres of paddy submerged in Keelannapur, Vadamarudhur and Panayur.
In Karuvelankadai, Chetticheri and Melachetticheri, over 500 acres of Samba paddy have been lost to flooding. Umbalachery near Vedaranyam recorded over 1,000 acres of inundated farmland. Tiruvarur district reported another 15,000 acres of submerged fields around Tiruthuraipoondi, affecting crops in Kallikudi, Nedumbalam, Vepancheri, Kudavasal and Maruthavanam. In Tenkasi, strong floods at Courtallam Main Falls, Five Falls and Chitharuvi led authorities to ban bathing for the fourth straight day, disappointing Ayyappa devotees and tourists arriving in large numbers.
Owing to worsening sea conditions, third-level cyclone warning cones have been hoisted at Thoothukudi VOC Port and Pamban Port. The IMD said the low-pressure system over the southwest Bay, Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean is also likely to intensify into a deep depression today and further strengthen within 24 hours. Under its influence, very heavy rainfall is expected today in Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram.
Tomorrow, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam are likely to receive heavy rain. The day after, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam may see very heavy rainfall, with strong showers expected in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore and Ariyalur. On November 29, very heavy rainfall has been forecast for Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore and Villupuram.