DHAKA: Flights to and out of Chennai have been cancelled for the day and the airport is shut with water on the runway as the city battles heavy rain of the kind not seen in almost a 100 years.

No flights have taken off from or landed in Chennai since 8:30 pm on Tuesday. About 4,000 people are stranded at the Chennai airport, reports the NDTV.com

19 trains have also been cancelled, with water flooding rail tracks.

It rained incessantly since Monday into early Wednesday morning and though it has stopped for now, the Met office says heavy rain is expected to continue over the next four days.

"Unfortunately, the water level is still rising and there is no way to divert the water. The Adyar river is still overflowing. We are working round the clock," Deepak Shastri, the Chennai Airport Director told NDTV on Tuesday night.

"Only if rain recedes, can we resume work. Runway is not flooded, but there is water. We don't consider operations at the moment safe. The under carriage (of aircraft) are almost touching water level, hence they cannot operate the flights. This kind of situation is likely to continue," he said.

Airlines made early morning announcements on Wednesday to inform people that flights continue to be cancelled.

BDST: 1112 HRS, DEC 02, 2015
RS