Heavy rains lashed southern India and Chennai airport was closed until at least Sunday, when Cyclone Fengal made landfall on Saturday evening.
“The first spiral bands (of clouds, editor’s note) associated with the cyclone have entered the land”with winds forecast at 70 to 80 km/h, the Indian Meteorological Agency said.
Several areas of the state of Tamil Nadu were flooded. There is a “moderate to high risk of flash flooding”according to authorities.
Schools and colleges in many districts of the state were closed and at least 471 people collected in relief camps, local media reported.
“Due to the strong winds, the roads are largely covered with sand and motorists are advised to drive carefully”warned the Chennai traffic police on X.
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.
Fengal drove along the coast of Sri Lanka earlier in the week, killing at least 12 people, including six children.
Storms are becoming more powerful as the world warms due to climate change, scientists say.
Warmer ocean surfaces release more water vapor, which provides additional energy to storms, strengthening winds.
A warmer atmosphere also allows them to hold more water, which encourages heavy precipitation.
But better forecasting and more effective evacuation plans have significantly reduced the death toll.
