Tamil Nadu Rains: Public holiday in southern state tomorrow; schools, colleges to remain shut in Puducherry, Bengaluru

As IMD issued an heavy rainfall alert in several parts of Southern India, the Tamil Nadi Government has decided to declare a Public Holiday on Wednesday, October 16. Meanwhile, schools and colleges and other educational institutions to remain shut in Puducherry and parts of Bengaluru.

A Tamil Nadu government notification regaring the same reads, ‘According to the Indian Meteorological Department, an upper air cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal, has formed a low-pressure area off south coastal Andhra Pradesh and lay over the Southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Tamil Nadu coast. Under its influence, isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Tamil Nadu on 16th October. Given the above, the Government has decided to declare a Public Holiday tomorrow’

A similar notification by the Karnataka government says, “Given the heavy rain warning issued by the Meteorological Department, the Bengaluru Urban District Collector has declared a holiday for Anganwadi, primary and high schools tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Puducherry Education Minister A. Namassivayam said, “Government schools, Government-aided schools, private schools, and all colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal are to remain closed tomorrow, 16th October due to a heavy rain warning.”

Heavy rains lashes Chennai

Intermittent, widespread rains lashed Chennai and other regions of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday and the India Meteorological Department said the low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal has turned into a well-marked low pressure area and it is likely to become a depression.

The IMD said a well marked low pressure area formed by Tuesday morning over the central part of south Bay of Bengal.

In a post on 'X', the department said it is likely to intensify into a depression and continue to move west-northwestwards towards north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the next 2 days.

Since Monday night, Chennai and its suburbs have been experiencing intermittent rains.

Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday reviewed the preparations taken by authorities to tackle the situation that may arise in view of the heavy rain predicted by the met office.

The chief minister directed that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force be deployed in advance in the areas prone to be affected