Heavy rainfall across Tamil Nadu has led to the cancellation of eight flights operating to and from Chennai, impacting services to Bengaluru, Andaman, New Delhi, and Muscat, according to an official statement from the Chennai airport.

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"Due to heavy rain in Chennai, eight flights scheduled to operate between Bengaluru, Andaman, Delhi, and Muscat have been cancelled at Chennai airport today," the statement read.

The affected flights include an Akasa Air flight from Bengaluru to Chennai at 7:05 am, another Akasa Air flight from Andaman to Chennai at 1 pm, an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Chennai at 3:20 pm, and an Oman Air flight from Muscat to Chennai, originally scheduled for early morning.

Similarly, four departing flights from Chennai have also been cancelled: an Akasa Air flight to Andaman at 7:45 am, an Akasa Air flight to Bengaluru at 1:40 pm, an Oman Air flight to Muscat at 8:40 am, and an IndiGo flight to Delhi in the evening.

While all other flights are operating as scheduled, the Chennai Airport has urged passengers to stay updated on potential changes in flight timings and to confirm departure times with their respective airlines to avoid inconvenience.

The torrential downpour has severely disrupted daily life in Chennai, leading to widespread waterlogging and traffic congestion in several parts of the city.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin held a review meeting with senior officials, issuing necessary directives to tackle the ongoing rainfall. The state's Chief Secretary, N. Muruganandam, has instructed local authorities to implement precautionary measures to manage the situation.

In response to the anticipated severe weather, residents of Velachery have begun parking their vehicles on the Velachery flyover to avoid flood-related damage.

An advisory has been issued to fishermen, warning them to refrain from venturing into the sea during this period. Additionally, the Chief Minister has advised IT companies in affected districts to allow employees to work from home from October 15 to 18, as per an official release.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, with isolated locations in northern Tamil Nadu likely to experience extremely heavy rain on October 16.

As of October 15, a low-pressure system has formed in the southern Bay of Bengal and is expected to move towards northern Tamil Nadu, southern Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry over the next two days. Moderate rain is forecast for many areas over the next three to four days, with an orange alert issued for Chennai on October 15 and a red alert for October 16.