Express News Service
CHENNAI: The three main ports in and around Chennai raised level 6 warning signs and closed their doors for operations as Chennai prepares for Cyclone Nivar, which is expected to make landfall on Wednesday.
Of the 11 cyclone warnings, Level 6 means that a deep depression has transformed into a cyclonic storm and is likely to cross the coast keeping the harbor to the right.
The ports of Chennai, Kamarajar and Kattupalli have asked freighters docked at the port to vacate the facilities. Chennai Port President P Raveendran said The new Indian express that four cargo ships are now moving offshore one by one to ensure the safety of ships and port facilities.
Smaller vessels belonging to the Coast Guard, the Indian Navy and the National Institute of Ocean Technology are settling in the port area of Jawahar Dock or Boat Basin, he said.
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Depending on the severity of the cyclone, steps are being taken to secure all coastal cranes, gantry cranes and other equipment used for operations within the port. Instructions have been issued to all Container Loading Stations and Inland Container Depots not to send any vehicle loaded with containers to the port after 6pm. Once all the vehicles left on the road and heading to the port have been received inside, the port doors will be closed.
Kamarajar Port President Sunil Paliwal said The new Indian express that the port will send all the ships at dusk. Paliwal said that there are three cargo ships in the port at present and two of them will set sail while one will move to the outer anchorage if it does not unload cargo. Likewise, four vessels are anchored outside the port. The port vessels are filled with fuel and the port cranes are at rest. The port of Kamarajar will not allow any ships until the cyclone lands, he said.
Meanwhile, the Chennai airport has declared a high alert as it prepares for the cyclone. A high-level virtual meeting was held on Tuesday in which the Chennai airport director highlighted the steps taken in
preparation for cyclone Nivar. An airport spokesman said a special control room has been created.
Three flights have been canceled due to adverse weather conditions. All three were operated by IndiGo. Two of them were to land from Kochi (9:15 pm) and Trichy (11:25 pm). Similarly, a flight from Chennai to Trichy at 8.35pm was also canceled, a Chennai airport spokesman said.
Five flights canceled from Tiruchy airport today
Indigo’s flights to and from Tiruchy International Airport on Wednesday were canceled ahead of Cyclone Nivar.
The canceled flights are:
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6E7143 / 6E7144 (Chennai),
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6E7234 / 6E7307 (Bangalore),
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6E8416 / 6E8223 (from Chennai to Dubai),
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6E2423 / 6E2289 (Bangalore)
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6E7215 / 6E7151 (Chennai)
.
