Chennai under red alert, TN minister says school holiday decision at ‘appropriate time’
Chennai, Oct 18 (IANS) A red alert has been issued for Chennai, warning of extremely heavy rainfall, as Tamil Nadu braces for further downpours amid flooding in the city and its suburbs.
Amid the warning, School Education Minister Rajmohan said on Sunday that a decision on school holidays would be taken at an appropriate time.
Orange alerts have also been issued for Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Theni, Coimbatore, and the Nilgiris.
The Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rain in 26 districts, including Tiruchirappalli, Madurai and Pudukkottai.
The warnings come after heavy rain lashed Chennai and surrounding areas on Saturday, leaving several localities inundated and roads waterlogged. Rainwater was subsequently drained through stormwater channels and with the help of motor pumps.
The northeast monsoon commenced over Tamil Nadu on October 15, bringing heavy rainfall to several parts of the state.
The latest forecast indicates that the wet spell is set to continue, with Chennai facing the possibility of extremely heavy rain.
Interacting with reporters here, Rajmohan responded to questions about whether schools would remain open amid the worsening weather and the government’s plans for managing school operations.
“We will decide at the appropriate time whether to declare holidays for schools and how to handle the situation, based on information from the meteorological centre and private weather observers,” he said.
He did not specify when an announcement would be made or identify districts where holidays might be declared.
The remarks of the minister, who did not announce a holiday during the interaction, indicated that the government would assess available weather information before deciding on school closures.
The red alert for Chennai follows this spell of heavy rainfall, while the orange alerts cover districts across different parts of Tamil Nadu, from the northern coastal belt to the western hills. The forecast for another 26 districts points to the likelihood of rainfall across a broad area of the state, extending beyond Chennai and its neighbouring districts.
–IANS
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