Cyclone Fengal: Chennai Airport Shuts Operations, IndiGo Suspends Flights Amid Heavy Rain

Chennai: The Cyclone Fengal is expected to make landfall near Puducherry on Saturday afternoon, November 30, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall, and high tides to the region and a red alert has been issued in Tamil Nadu. Amid heavy rain and gusty wind, flight operations in the affected region have been affected and the Chennai Airport has been shut till evening today.

Flight Ops at Chennai International Airport Suspended

A statement has been issued by the Chennai International Airport in a post on the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter). The post reads, “In light of Cyclonic Storm 'Fengal' and the forecasted high crosswinds, as predicted by IMD, Chennai Airport operations will be suspended from 1230 hrs to 1900 hrs on 30.11.2024 (Today) following safety concerns raised by stakeholder airlines. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines regarding their flights.”

The cyclone has led to a weather change, impacting flights to and from Chennai. IndiGo airlines has suspended all operations at Chennai airport while Air India flights connecting the city have been impacted due to the adverse weather.

Cyclone Fengal Latest Update: Schools Colleges Closed, Heavy Rain Continues

In anticipation of the severe weather conditions, all schools and colleges in Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh will remain closed on Saturday, November 30. This includes educational institutions in districts like Kanchipuram, Chennai, Chengalpet, and Karaikal. The Puducherry government announced that all schools and colleges, including privately managed and government-aided institutions, would also be closed on November 29 and 30.

Heavy rainfall and strong winds from Cyclone Fengal (pronounced Feinjal) have battered parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, and the neighbouring Union Territory of Puducherry. As the cyclone intensifies and moves closer to the coastline, authorities have warned of further disruptions, with landfall expected on Saturday evening. Wind speeds are expected to reach up to 90 km/h, with gusts up to 70 km/h already recorded in some areas. The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall between 1 pm and 2 pm on Saturday, along with scattered heavy to very heavy showers in several regions.