Chennai Airport flooded as heavy rains lash city

Flight operations in Chennai airport as the entire runway and airplane parking zone are filled with water after heavy rains under the influence of Cyclone Michaung. 

Severe waterlogging was also reported from various areas in Chennai. IMD has issued extremely heavy rain in the next 24 hours. Cyclone Michaung is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm.

Parts of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state, and neighboring districts got almost an inch of rain overnight as the powerful storm churned toward India's southeast coast in the Bay of Bengal.

Chennai's airport halted operations as heavy rain submerged its runway and strong winds whipped up. Airport authorities cancelled 70 flights and diverted more than 30 others to Kempegowda airport in neighboring Bengaluru city.

State authorities issued alerts ahead of the cyclone's expected landfall on Tuesday morning. Schools and colleges were closed and employees urged to work from home as the rains started pouring down Monday. Thousands of people were evacuated from coastal areas and officials set up 5,000 relief camps for them on higher ground.

Cyclone Michaung was a "severe cyclonic storm" Monday in the southwest Bay of Bengal, moving north-northwest toward the coast at about 9 miles per hour. It was forecast to make landfall Tuesday in the coastal state of Andhra Pradesh with sustained winds up to 62 mph and gusts close to 70, India's national weather office warned.