Tamil Nadu: Holiday announced for schools, colleges in several districts due to continuous rain

A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in as many as eight districts of Tamil Nadu on Monday following incessant rain in the state. The district collectors have announced a holiday for schools in Kallakurichi, Ranipet, Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts on Monday. Schools and colleges will remain closed on Monday in Nagapattinam, Kilvelur, Viluppuram and Cuddalore, the authorities said. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that light to moderate rain with occasional intense spells accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is very likely to continue over the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal and light rain accompanied with thunderstorms and lightning during day time, today.

The IMD further said that strong easterly/northeasterly winds are prevailing in lower tropospheric levels with favourable conditions for moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal over Tamil Nadu leading to the current spell of rainfall over the region.

As per the IMD data, Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu recorded the highest rainfall at 167 mm between 8.30 am on January 7 and 5.30 am on January 8, while Mugalivakkam GCC received 53.4 mm, which was the lowest. Karaikal, Puducherry, Cuddalore and Ennore port AWS areas recorded rainfall in the range between 100 and 90 mm at this time, according to the IMD data.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has predicted light to moderate rain at a few places over South Tamil Nadu, at one or two places over North Tamil Nadu and over Puducherry and Karaikal area in the next 3-4 days. Also, in a forecast for the next 3 days, isolated places over Villupuram, Vellore, Chennai, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathpuram and Kanyakumari are likely to receive heavy rain, the RMC in Chennai said.

Tamil Nadu has witnessed unprecedented rains this year. At first, Cyclone Michaung brought heavy rains to Chennai and surrounding districts, leaving a destruction trail. Recently, Tamil Nadu's southern districts witnessed heavy rainfalls. Due to the rains, the state has incurred heavy losses of public and private property, running into crores.