A Cyclone Just Hit India’s East Coast and Grounded Flights

Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, near Ongole in Prakasam district, in the early hours of Tuesday, November 3, according to Outlook India. The India Meteorological Department put winds at 100 to 110 kilometers per hour with gusts up to 120, and expected the system to weaken through the day. Red warnings were issued for several districts, including Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, NTR and Prakasam.

Air travel took an immediate hit. Outlook India reports 11 flights cancelled from Chennai to various destinations, with delays at Visakhapatnam and weather advisories for the Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati airports. The Hans India separately reports that IndiGo cancelled eight Vijayawada flights scheduled for November 3 as a precaution, seven domestic and one international, on routes to Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kadapa and Singapore. The two counts cover different airports and are not additive, and some local headlines cite higher numbers, so totals may change.

On the ground, Chennai had received 7.6 centimeters of rain by Monday, and the Greater Chennai Corporation logged 237 water-stagnation complaints. Schools and colleges were closed in Chennai and Tiruvallur. Heavy rain and wind can disrupt roads and rail connections to the airport even when flights are operating, so allow extra time if you are traveling in the affected districts.

If you are booked on a flight in or out of Chennai, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam or Tirupati, check your airline’s app before heading to the airport, and look at rebooking or refund options if your flight has been cancelled. Airlines typically waive change fees for weather cancellations. With the cyclone expected to weaken, schedules may recover gradually over the next day or two, but delays and knock-on cancellations can linger after the storm itself has passed.

Sources: Outlook India, The Hans India