Chennai school holiday, Oct 21: Schools shut in four Tamil Nadu districts as heavy rains predicted | Check IMD alert

The IMD issued an orange alert, predicting very heavy rainfall in Ramanathapuram, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurau, Villupuramm Chengalpattu, Chennai and Thiruvallur.

Schools in four districts of Tamil Nadu were shut on Wednesday (October 21) in the wake of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting heavy rainfall in the region, local media reported.

A holiday was declared for schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram districts on Wednesday, according to Dinakaran.

As per the report, district collectors declared a holiday for schools due to continuous rainfall in the region. The Chennai District Collector reportedly announced that all schools in Chennai will be given a one-day holiday as a precautionary measure amid IMD warning.

Similarly, schools in Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and Kanchipuram districts were also declared shut on Wednesday due to incessant rains.

IMD alert

On Tuesday, the IMD issued a yellow and orange alert, predicting heavy rainfall alert in parts of Tamil Nadu and other states "due to likely formation of a low-pressure area over Southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Tamil Nadu coast during next 24 hours."

According to a latest bulletin from the Regional Meteorological Centre on Tuesday at 1.40 pm, an upper air cyclonic circulation that lay over the southwest Bay of Bengal off north Tamil Nadu coast on Monday is likely to intensify into a low pressure area over the same region during next 24 hours.

The IMD predicted, "...heavy to very heavy rainfall likely to continue over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal till October 26; isolated heavy rainfall likely over Lakshadweep during October 22nd-26th; Kerala and Mahe during 20th-26th October; South Interior Karnataka during 21st-24th; Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam and Rayalaseema on 20th and 21st October, 2026."

The IMD issued an orange alert in Ramanathapuram, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurau, Villupuramm Chengalpattu, Chennai and Thiruvallur.

A yellow alert was issued in the remaining districts of Tamil Nadu, including in Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Dindigul. Heavy rain is also likely in Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Kallakurichi, Tiruchirappalli, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Sivagangai, Tenkasi and Tirunelveli.

However, rainfall occurred at many places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal area during the last 24 hours starting from Monday.

Amaravathi Pudur in Sivagangai district received the highest rainfall of 9.2 cm during the same period followed by Tiruvadanai in Ramanathapuram, which saw 8 cm rain.

Official sources told PTI thay Chennai, which was battered by heavy downpour on Saturday night with some areas like Parrys recording more than 30 cm rainfall, witnessed only very moderate rains from Sunday.

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