Several flights cancelled in Chennai as Tamil Nadu braces for Cyclone Mandous

Several flights to and from the Chennai airport in India's southernmost state of Tamil Nadu were cancelled on Friday (9) due to adverse weather conditions because of Cyclone Mandous which was set to make a landfall in the coastal state late in the night.

The cyclonic storm has caused heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in Chennai.

Cyclone Mandous was expected to hit around the Mamallapuram coast in northern Tamil Nadu around Friday midnight with a wind speed of up to 85 kilometres per hour.

Several flights to and from Chennai, the state capital, to cities such as Tuticorin, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Madurai, Vijayawada, Mangaluru, Kannur, and others were cancelled.

The Chennai Airport authorities issued flight updates on its social media handle.

It tweeted, "#UPDATE | Kindly take note of the Flight cancellations at Chennai Intl Airport on 09.12.2022 due to adverse weather conditions forecasted. Passengers are requested to check with concerned airline(s) for further updates. #Chennai #MandousCyclone #Mandous @AAI_Official @pibchennai ."

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Chennai on Thursday (8) and Friday.

A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was deployed in the city, which witnessed devastating floods in 2015, on Tuesday (6).

The civic authorities of Chennai also took various measures to tackle any rain-related incidents.

The IMD also issued a red alert for three Tamil Nadu districts -- Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Kanchipuram, and Puducherry, a Union Territory, due to the heavy rainfall on Friday.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has advised people against venturing outside unless necessary till the storm weakens.