Cyclone Nivar: Chennai airport remain shut for 12 hours

Cyclone Nivar, which has already intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the southwest Bay of Bengal, is likely to cross the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Wednesday night or early Thursday. It may further intensify into a "very severe cyclonic storm" with a wind speed of 120 to 130kmph gusting to 145kmph.

Due to Cyclone Nivar aircraft operations at the Chennai airport will remain suspended from 7 pm tonight till 7 am Thursday. The decision has been taken considering the safety aspect of passengers and the severity of approching Cyclone, the airport authorities said in a tweet.