A powerful cyclone battered Sri Lanka on Friday, killing at least 46 people and leaving 23 others missing, officials said, as the weather department warned that the storm could strengthen further over the next 12 hours while moving across the island.
Most of the people were killed due to landslides triggered by torrential rainfall exceeding 300 mm (11.8 inches) over the past 24 hours as Cyclone Ditwah lashed the island nation, with the eastern and central regions most severely affected.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said a landslide in the central tea-growing district of Badulla swept through homes overnight, killing 21 people.
The DMC said 43,991 people had been evacuated to schools and public shelters, including families rescued from rooftops as floodwaters surged.
The IMD’s Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai on Friday issued a three-hour yellow alert for several districts in Tamil Nadu as cyclonic storm Ditwah approaches the region.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued as Cyclonic Storm DITWAH moved north-northwest across Sri Lanka and the southwest Bay of Bengal, placing North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the beaches of South Andhra Pradesh under cyclone watch.
The IMD said the system is expected to cross near the coast by early November 30. It advised residents to stay indoors and avoid coastal areas, urging people to follow official advisories and refrain from spreading rumours.
The weather body also cautioned fishermen not to venture into the sea, stressing the need for vigilance.
Source: News18