Cyclone 'Ditwah', after causing devastation in Sri Lanka with a death toll of 153, is currently tracking towards the south coast of India, prompting Red Alerts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh.
Coastal areas have experienced continuous heavy rainfall overnight as the cyclone is expected to make landfall this morning. The IMD warns of very heavy rains in districts including Chennai, Kanchipuram, and Villupuram.
In response, India has launched Operation Sagar Dushu to aid Sri Lankan relief efforts and mobilize domestic disaster preparedness. Tamil Nadu has deployed 28 NDRF and SDRF teams and established 6,000 camps.
The severe weather has also severely impacted air travel, leading to widespread delays and cancellations for flights between Chennai and Sri Lanka.
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