BENGALURU: Cyclone Fangal made landfall in southern India late on Saturday as heavy rains lashed the region and disrupted airport operations.
Cyclones—the equivalent of hurricanes in the North Atlantic or typhoons in the northwest Pacific—are a regular and deadly threat in the northern Indian Ocean.
The India Meteorological Bureau said “the forward sector of the spiral band associated with the cyclone has made landfall” with sustained winds of 70–80 km/h (43–50 mph) forecast.
Officials also said there was a “moderate to flash flood risk” in a few areas.
Several areas of Tamil Nadu state were hit by floods as authorities extended the closure of the capital Chennai’s main airport till Sunday.
“Due to stormy winds, the road is heavily covered with sand and motorists are advised to proceed with caution,” the traffic police in Chennai posted on social media platform X.
According to local media, schools and colleges were closed in several districts of the state and at least 471 people were shifted to relief camps.
Fengel lashed the Sri Lankan coast earlier this week, killing at least 12 people, including six children.
Scientists have warned that storms are becoming more powerful as the world warms due to climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels.
Warmer sea surfaces release more water vapor, which provides additional energy for storms, strengthening winds.
The warmer climate also allows them to hold more water, leading to heavier rainfall.
But better forecasting and more effective evacuation planning have dramatically reduced the death toll.