Cyclone Fengal: Cyclonic storm Fengal completed its landfall across the Tamil Nadu coast on Sunday around 2 am, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a post on social platform X.

The landfall began across the coast between Mahabalipuram and Puducherry and lasted for several hours on Sunday night.

IMD-Regional Meteorological Centre’s additional director general, S Balachandran told PTI that the process of the cyclone’s landfall commenced at about 5.30 pm on November 30.

“The Cyclonic Storm FENGAL crossed North Tamil Nadu & Puducherry coasts near latitude 12.05°N and longitude 79.9°E, close to Puducherry, between 2230 hrs IST and 2330 hrs IST of yesterday, the 30th November 2024 as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph. It lay centered at 2330 hours IST of yesterday, the 30th November 2024 over north coastal Tamilnadu & Puducherry near latitude 12.0°N and longitude 79.8°E, close to Puducherry,” the IMD said in a post on X.

It will continue to move west-southwestwards slowly and weaken gradually into a deep depression during the next 3 hours, the agency added.

As a precaution, Chennai Airport authorities have extended the suspension of operations until 4 am on December 1.

“A team of senior officials is closely monitoring the situation to ensure the earliest possible resumption of operations as weather conditions improve. A WebEx meeting was held at 1630 hrs on November 30, 2024, involving stakeholders and officials from the IMD,” the Chennai Airport posted on X.

Over 50 flights to and from Chennai have been cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports in Chennai and neighbouring states.

Airlines issued travel advisories regarding their services. The heavy rains caused by Cyclone Fengal also disrupted train services, with the Southern Railway announcing changes to the schedules of many trains.

Water logging in Chennai

Earlier in the day, waterlogging was reported in several parts of Chennai as heavy rain lashed the region in the wake of Cyclone Fengal.

Several residential neighbourhoods were heavily inundated in the city. These included parts of Korattur, Velachery-Madipakkam and Kodungaiyur. Rainwater entered houses in suburban localities, such as Hasthinapuram, Tirumalai Nagar among others.