CHENNAI: Chennai Airport will suspend operations from 12 PM to 7 PM on account of strong crosswinds caused by Cyclone Fengal. The decision was taken following a meeting with top airport officials after the 11am weather bulletin was released by the metrology department.
"In view of Cyclonic Storm ‘Fengal’, Stakeholder Airlines have raised a Safety concern due to estimated higher crosswinds as predicted by IMD (above 35 knots). After stakeholders consultation it was decided by Airport Management to close down Airport Operations with effect from 1230 hours to 17pm," Chennai airport spokesperson said.
Flight schedules have been impacted with airlines diverting flights to other cities like Bengaluru, while Indigo Airline has temporarily stopped operations at Chennai airport due to bad weather.
Earlier, Indigo had informed that there will be no arrival and departure flights at Chennai Airport. They have temporarily stopped operations due to bad weather in Chennai.
Sources said that the Indigo flight from Abu Dhabi which was supposed to land at 8.10am was diverted to Bengaluru. Similarly, an Air India Express flight to Singapore was canceled due to technical issues.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Airlines from Chennai to Colombo which was set to depart at 9.40am has been cancelled for the day due to bad weather.
"Indigo has informed that there will be no arrival and departure flights at Chennai Airport. They have temporarily stopped operations due to bad weather in Chennai," sources told The New Indian Express.
He also said that the Indigo flight from Abu Dhabi which was supposed to land at 8.10am was diverted to Bengaluru. Similarly, an Air India Express flight to Singapore was canceled due to technical issues.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Airlines from Chennai to Colombo which was set to depart at 9.40am has been cancelled for the day due to bad weather. Passengers at Terminal 2 will be accommodated in hotels shortly, an airport source added.
Fengal is expected to make landfall later today between North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts, with wind speed upto 90 kmph. The cyclone's main rain bands have brought rain to Chennai from around 3:30 am on Saturday and has persisted since then in varying intensities.
From Saturday morning, the city received spells of moderate to intense rainfall which are expected to continue through the day, possibly resulting in localised water logging in low lying regions.
A red alert remains in effect for seven districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore districts, and Puducherry, with isolated heavy to very heavy rain and extremely heavy rain at a few locations.
Weather watchers said that the cyclone shifted more northward than westward overnight, potentially predicting its landfall closer to Mahabalipuram instead of Pondicherry.
On December 1, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in interior Tamil Nadu, whereas on December 2 and 3, the isolated places in the state may receive only heavy rainfall.
