Before Cyclone Ditwah brings rains to the tamil Nadu–Andhra–Puducherry belt, it has already unleashed a different kind of storm — one made of whatsapp forwards, fake warnings, old flood videos, and viral voice notes that spread panic faster than the cyclone moves.
Every time a new cyclone forms over the Bay of Bengal, two things happen simultaneously: the IMD issues structured bulletins, and social media creates its own parallel narrative. Ditwah is no exception. In fact, its unusual behaviour — moving parallel to the coastline instead of making landfall — has created the perfect breeding ground for misinformation.
WhatsApp groups for fishermen are flooded with unverified alerts claiming “40-ft waves expected.” Housing society groups in chennai are circulating 2015 flood videos as “Ditwah live scenes.” In some districts, fake voice notes claiming “government is planning full lockdown due to cyclone” are going viral.
Meanwhile, local officials are scrambling. district administrations have started sending counter-messages, including short videos from the Collector, to stop panic. But the problem is bigger than just fake content — it’s trust. For many coastal communities, whatsapp groups are faster and more accessible than official sources. A fisherman will trust a friend’s message over a website link.
Cyclone Ditwah shows how disasters have evolved. The threat today is twin-layered: physical damage and wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW'>digital confusion. When a cyclone moves parallel to the coast, its impact zones shift quickly. This creates space for rumours to fill the gaps before official bulletins can catch up.
The IMD’s 11:30 am update — Ditwah moving at 10 kmph near sri lanka — is overshadowed online by dozens of dramatic, misleading posts. And as the rainbands slowly shift towards tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the misinformation storm grows louder.
Ditwah teaches an important lesson: disaster management is no longer just about evacuations and relief camps. It is also about managing information, busting rumours, and ensuring people hear facts before fear.
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