Heavy downpour: Holiday declared for educational institutions in Chennai, 5 districts on Friday – The New Indian Express

Chennai News

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Heavy rain lashed Chennai on Thursday evening, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast enhanced rainfall activity over south peninsular India from November 11 to 13 owing to a low-pressure area over the Southwest Bay of Bengal off the Sri Lanka coast.

The heavy downpour that lashed Chennai drenched the commuters, most of them returning home after work. The rain, as usual, drowned the arterial roads under a sheet of water, not to mention the low-lying areas. The recent rains have damaged roads in several parts of the city.

Holiday has been declared for educational institutions in 6 districts, including Chennai, in the wake of the rainfall.

The regional meteorological centre (RMC) has issued a red alert for Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Ranipet, where heavy rains are forecasted in excess of 20 cm, following which a holiday has been announced for educational institutions on Friday. 

Chennai, Chengalpattu and Vellore district administrations also declared a holiday for schools and colleges since heavy to very heavy rains are forecasted which may result in localised flooding. 

The last episode of heavy downpour, probably the heaviest this monsoon so far, is being triggered by the low-pressure area that is persisting over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the Sri Lanka coast and likely to become more marked during next 24 hours.   

S Balachandran, deputy director general of meteorology, RMC, said the weather system will move northwestwards towards Tamil Nadu-Pondicherry coasts till November 12th morning. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and move across Tamilnadu-Pondicherry and Kerala during November 12-13. 

On Friday, the met office said isolated heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain at one or two places is likely to occur over Tiruvallur, Ranipet and Kancheepuram districts. Heavy to very heavy rain are forecasted over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam districts, Pondicherry and Karaikal. Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruppur, Coimbatore and Nilgiris.   

On Saturday, isolated heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain likely over Nilgiris, Dindigul and Theni districts, while heavy to very heavy rain is likely over Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur districts, Puducherry and Karaikal. 

The met office said overall the heavy rains in the State will continue till November 14. 

The private forecaster Skymet Weather predicted that during the next 24 hours, light to moderate rain with few heavy spells are possible over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, while light to moderate rain with one or two intense spells may occur over Rayalaseema and Kerala.

Source: https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiqAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdpbmRpYW5leHByZXNzLmNvbS9zdGF0ZXMvdGFtaWwtbmFkdS8yMDIyL25vdi8xMC9oZWF2eS1kb3ducG91ci1ob2xpZGF5LWRlY2xhcmVkLWZvci1lZHVjYXRpb25hbC1pbnN0aXR1dGlvbnMtaW4tY2hlbm5haS01ZGlzdHJpY3RzLW9uLWZyaWRheS0yNTE2OTkxLmh0bWzSAQA?oc=5