Chennai braces for Cyclone Fengal: Airport shut, flights disrupted

Chennai Airport has been temporarily closed, and multiple flights have been disrupted as Cyclone Fengal nears landfall in Tamil Nadu, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds

The Chennai airport was temporarily closed until 7 pm on Saturday as heavy rains and gusty winds continued to impact the region ahead of Cyclone Fengal, which is expected to make a landfall in Tamil Nadu in the evening.

 

Several flights to and from Chennai were disrupted on Saturday due to the inclement weather.

 

Air India posted an update on X, confirming, “Flights to and from Chennai are getting affected due to inclement weather and heavy rains.” 

  IndiGo also issued a travel advisory, highlighting disruptions in multiple cities, including Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Tuticorin, Madurai, Tirupati, and Visakhapatnam. “The current weather conditions continue to impact flights to/from Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Tuticorin, Madurai, with Tirupati and Visakhapatnam now also affected,” the airline said. 

  The Chennai Airport’s X handle further confirmed that IndiGo had suspended all flight operations at the airport, citing adverse weather conditions. "IndiGo Airlines @IndiGo6E has temporarily suspended all arrival and departure flight operations at Chennai Airport due to adverse weather conditions. Flight operations will resume once the weather improves, prioritising the safety of passengers and crew. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines for real-time updates," the statement read. 

The airport also reported a flight diversion due to the bad weather. IndiGo flight 6E1412, from Abu Dhabi to Chennai, scheduled to arrive at 08:10 hrs, was diverted to Bengaluru due to the storm. Passengers were advised to check with IndiGo for further updates.

 

The airport urged travellers to confirm the status of flights with their airlines, as several flights had already been cancelled or rescheduled due to the ongoing weather disruptions.

 

Heavy rainfall expected in Tamil Nadu

 

As Cyclone Fengal intensifies, parts of Tamil Nadu are experiencing heavy rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is closely monitoring the cyclone using advanced Doppler radar and satellite observations.

 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has reviewed the state’s preparedness in light of the cyclone. “The weather department has warned that there will be continuous rain for the next two to three days. The Tamil Nadu government is constantly monitoring and taking precautionary measures. It has been reported that the cyclone will cross the coast tonight. Relief work is ongoing, and relief camps have been set up to accommodate people,” he said. 

 

Stalin added that other districts are also being closely monitored, but there have been no major incidents so far.

 

Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai predicted intense rainfall across the northern coastal districts of Tamil Nadu on Saturday. The IMD forecasted “isolated heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain at one or two places” in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore districts, and Puducherry.

 

Additionally, heavy rain is likely in parts of Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Karaikal. The IMD further warned of heavy rainfall in places like Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukkottai, and Karur districts.

 

Cyclone Fengal, which had moved west-northwest over the Southwest Bay of Bengal, is expected to make landfall along the north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts later today, bringing more intense weather to the region.