Cyclone Fengal made landfall near Puducherry on Saturday evening, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that forced the closure of Chennai’s international airport and stranded travellers, even as thousands of disaster relief and government personnel stood by to mount an emergency response.
The cyclone struck the coast at approximately 6:30 PM local time, maintaining its cyclonic storm intensity with wind speeds of 70-80km per hour and gusts up to 90km/hour. Even before the landfall, significant rainfall had already been recorded across the region, with Chennai’s Meenambakkam area receiving 11.4cm and the Nungambakkam area recording 10.4cm. Puducherry and Cuddalore reported 9.5 and 3cm, respectively.
The strong winds packed by the tropical storm caused scary moments for at least one flight, an IndiGo jet, which aborted its landing moments before touch down after the pilots appeared to struggle with keeping the aircraft stable.
Tamil Nadu minister for revenue and disaster management, KKSSR Ramachandran said there were no immediate reports of a major damage in the aftermath of the cyclone and said related details could be known possibly by Sunday. Three people were electrocuted in different rain-related incidents in Chennai earlier in the day.
S Balachandran, additional director general of India Meteorological Department’s Regional Center, noted that the landfall was occurring “close to the Puducherry area” and it moved in a west-southwestward direction between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram.
Hospitals and houses were inundated in Chennai and its neighbourhoods as civic authorities said clearing works were on in a ‘war-footing. Officials warned of a storm surge approximately one meter above the astronomical tide, threatening to inundate low-lying areas across north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining South Andhra Pradesh coastal districts during landfall.
The cyclone’s development has been particularly noteworthy for its unusual progression. M Mohapatra, director general of IMD, provided context for the storm’s unusual path: “Cyclones more frequently impact the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts but Tamil Nadu is also a cyclone prone state,” he explained, referencing recent flooding in Chennai from Cyclone Michaung in early December.
The impact on transportation was severe, with Chennai International Airport bearing the brunt of the weather system. Airport authorities announced a complete suspension of operations until 4 am pm Sunday after heavy rains inundated both runways and the taxiway. The suspension, initially planned to last only until 7 p.m. Saturday, was extended following an emergency meeting with IMD officials and stakeholders at 4:30 p.m.
The video of the IndiGo flight showed the tricky conditions. The airliner was buffeted by strong winds as it approached the runway, its wings rocking side to side in the turbulent air. Just as the aircraft’s rear landing gear touched, a powerful gust forced its nose sharply upward, prompting pilots to immediately abort landing.
HT reached out to IndiGo which did not immediately respond to queries seeking comments.
Airport officials said at least 55 flight cancellations and 19 diversions, affecting both domestic and international services. Early in the day, before the complete shutdown, at least 12 flights experienced delays. Officials estimated that over 10,000 passengers have been impacted by the service disruptions, with approximately 1,000 travellers choosing to remain within the airport premises, hoping to secure the first available flights once operations resume.
The ripple effects of Chennai’s airport closure spread across the region’s aviation network. Hyderabad airport reported 20 cancelled flights specifically related to services connecting Chennai and Tirupati.
Airport authorities have established a team of senior officials to monitor the situation continuously, working to facilitate the earliest possible resumption of operations as meteorological conditions permit. Through social media posts, the airport has advised all passengers to maintain close contact with their respective airlines regarding flight status updates.
The storm’s intensification pattern took meteorologists by surprise. While initially forecast to weaken into a deep depression before landfall, Fengal maintained its cyclonic storm intensity throughout the landfall process. The IMD had identified several contributing factors to this strengthening, including the presence of equatorial Rossby waves, Madden Julian Oscillation, and favourable wind conditions in the Bay of Bengal.