Chennai Airport has cancelled 54 flights as Cyclone Ditwah intensifies over the Bay of Bengal, with the IMD warning of extremely heavy rain and strong winds. All ATR services stand suspended, and more disruptions are likely as the cyclone nears landfall.
A private airline flight from Madurai to Chennai landed safely after the pilot detected a windshield crack mid-air. All 76 passengers were unharmed, and the return flight was cancelled as the aircraft was sent for maintenance.
Chennai’s northern neighbourhood of Manali witnessed a cloudburst overnight, recording up to 27 cm of rain. The downpour forced flight diversions to Bengaluru, while the Meteorological Department forecasts isolated rain and strong winds in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal over the next 24 hours.
A cargo flight from Kuala Lumpur landed safely in Chennai on Tuesday after a fire broke out in its fourth engine during landing. Fire tenders doused the blaze immediately, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are probing the cause.
An Air India flight AI 2455, traveling from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi with senior political leaders on board, was forced to make an emergency landing at Chennai airport following a suspected radar malfunction. The flight carried four Kerala MPs and one Tamil Nadu MP.
