Sat Nov 30 18:05:02 UTC 2024: ## Cyclone Fengal Disrupts Southern India: Flights Cancelled, Thousands Evacuated
**Chennai, India** – Cyclone Fengal, which left a trail of destruction in Sri Lanka earlier this week, is wreaking havoc across southern India. Heavy rain and strong winds lashed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, leading to widespread disruption and prompting evacuations ahead of the cyclone’s expected landfall on Saturday.
Schools and colleges in several Tamil Nadu districts are closed, and hundreds of people have been moved to storm shelters. In Puducherry, residents of low-lying areas were evacuated, with the administration issuing SMS alerts warning of the impending storm.
The impact on Chennai has been significant. Parts of the Chennai airport were flooded, resulting in the cancellation of at least 20 flights to and from Chennai and Tirupati, with airport operations suspended until 4 am Sunday. Hundreds of passengers have been affected. Train services have also been disrupted. Authorities erected barricades to close access to popular beaches like Marina and Mamallapuram.
The severe weather has claimed at least one life in Chennai, where a migrant worker was electrocuted while attempting to withdraw cash from an ATM. The cyclone’s strong winds and high waves, predicted to reach one metre (three feet), pose a serious flood risk to coastal areas. Fishermen have been urged to remain ashore.
Fengal, which previously killed at least 12 people, including six children, in Sri Lanka, continues to pose a serious threat to southern India. Authorities remain on high alert, monitoring the situation closely.
First Piper 