-(“Due to low visibility, flights were running fifteen to twenty minutes late. The landing operations had to be curtailed due to traffic congestion. The operation is on but there is a no show from passengers too,” an official from Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) said.)
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport located at the Mumbai city yesterday faced a flight operation problem due to the Heavy rains and water logging at the airport premises. The runways at the Mumbai airport were intermittently closed throughout the day due to poor visibility, affecting flight schedules as heavy rains lashed the city and its adjoining areas.
In the intervals that the runways were functional, flights running at least 35 minutes late, there were at least 13 go around until afternoon and several diversions.
The incessant rains that have led to flood alerts reminiscent of those that drowned the city in 2005, have disrupted most transportation, including train services, clogging streets and submerging vehicles tyre deep.
“Take off and landings of flights were delayed by at least twenty minutes throughout the day due to heavy rains and poor visibility. The excessive speed of winds also led to suspension of landing operations at the airport between 4.30 pm and 6 pm. The main runway remained operational and no water-logging was witnessed. Till Tuesday evening, flights continued to remain late by at least twenty minutes,” a senior Air Traffic Control (ATC) official said, who also added that the airport is operational now.
Similarly, few weeks back the Terai region of Nepal was highly affected by flood resulting shut down of Biratnagar Airport for more than a week. Likewise, Couple of day’s back Texas Airport went through the similar situation as its two major airports remain closed for unknown time with almost 1,700 US flights cancellation.
Natural calamities are ruthless and can occur at anytime, anywhere that may lead to huge destruction of human life and property. We cannot stop natural disasters but can prepare ourselves with knowledge so that many lives can be saved. It is utmost importance that we have enough disaster preparedness.
