The cyclone is likely to continue moving west-northwestward and cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, near Puducherry, as a cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 70-80 km/h, gusting to 90 km/h, during the afternoon of November 30.

Over 50 flights were cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at the airport and in neighbouring states.

Heavy rains lashed India’s south and a major airport shut operations as cyclone Fengal made landfall late on Saturday.  Cyclones -- the equivalent of hurricanes in the North Atlantic or typhoons in the northwestern Pacific -- are a regular and deadly menace in

Cyclonic storm Fengal has commenced making landfall close to Puducherry and it may approximately take 4 hours for it to cross the coast completely, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) in a post on X recommended that passengers should check with their respective airlines regarding their flights.

As of Saturday morning, Cyclone Fengal was located 110 km southeast of Chennai and 120 km east-northeast of Puducherry, moving westward at 13 kmph. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts landfall near Puducherry by night,

Cyclone Fengal's approach has caused havoc in Chennai, with strong winds and rainfall uprooting trees and waterlogging roads. It is expected to cross the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast by evening. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and have issued several advisories,

Chennai and surrounding regions have been experiencing continuous rainfall since Tuesday, with authorities declaring a yellow alert as Cyclone Fengal intensifies.

Schools in Tiruchirappalli, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, and Tiruvarur are closed in anticipation of heavy rains.

Chennai Airport's closure extends due to Cyclone Fengal, with operations expected to resume at 4 am on December 1. Severe weather affects flights and rail services, as authorities and the India Meteorological Department closely monitor the situation.

Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Pudukkottai districts.