• Source:JND
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Flights Cancelled At Chennai Airport: As Cyclone Ditwah is approaching the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, 47 flights scheduled for Sunday were cancelled at Chennai Airport due to the anticipated heavy rain. Of these, 36 were domestic flights, and 11 were international.

If the cyclone intensify, further flight cancellations are likely. Passengers planning to travel tomorrow are advised to contact their airlines to confirm departure times and adjust their travel plans accordingly, according to Chennai Airport authorities.

Among the domestic cancellations, 18 departing flights from Chennai to Madurai, Tiruchi, Thoothukudi, and Salem, as well as 18 incoming flights from these cities to Chennai, were affected.

Of the 11 international flights, six departing from Chennai to Colombo (5 flights) and Jaffna (1 flight) have been cancelled, along with five incoming flights four from Colombo and one from Jaffna.

On Sunday, 27 departing flights from Chennai to various destinations, including Madurai, Tiruchi, Thoothukudi, Salem, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Jaffna (Sri Lanka), as well as 27 arriving flights, were cancelled from early morning until midnight, bringing the total to 54 cancelled flights.

Strong winds and heavy rain lashed the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh on Saturday as Cyclone Ditwah approached the shore.

Having caused significant damage in Sri Lanka, the cyclone has been moving north-northwest at 10 km/h over the past six hours, and is expected to reach the northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and southern Andhra Pradesh coasts by Sunday morning, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday.

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The cyclone is forecast to come within 25 km of the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts by Sunday evening. As a precautionary measure, IMD has issued a red alert in parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. IMD warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy rain at isolated spots, likely over Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Villuppuram, Chengalpattu districts, and the Puducherry-Karaikal region.

In the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, excess water from the city and suburban areas flowed toward the Port Trust coastal zone and mixed with the sea due to heavy rainfall.

Coastal areas of Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, also witnessed turbulent sea, strong winds and rainfall.

Moreover, Railway Minister Ashiwini Viashnaw on Saturday reviewed preparedness with Southern Railway to ensure minimal disruption.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has set up 6,000 camps across the state, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management KKSSR Ramachandran said on Saturday.

The Minister further informed that 28 teams of both NDRF and SDRF have been deployed to provide relief to civilians.

In a post on X, Air India stated, "Heavy rain and strong winds resulting from Cyclone Ditwah may impact our flights operating to and from Chennai and some other cities in southern India.

"You are requested to check the status of your flights here https://airindia.com/in/en/manage/flight-status.html before proceeding to the airport. For any assistance, please contact our 24x7 Call Centre at 011-69329333 / 011-69329999," they added.

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Cyclone Ditwah, which is expected to make landfall in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Sunday evening, has killed 153 people in Sri Lanka, with another 130 reported missing.

The extreme weather system has destroyed nearly 15,000 homes across the country, sending almost 44,000 people to state-run temporary shelters, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Saturday.

( With PTI Inputs )

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