Chennai rains: School holiday declared in THESE two Tamil Nadu districts amid heavy rainfall

Heavy rains continue to lash Chennai and its neighbouring districts, prompting authorities to declare a holiday for schools in Tiruvannamalai and Tirupattur. 

Thunderstorms over interior North Tamil Nadu, the stretch between Pondicherry and delta dts saw heavy rainfall in the morning. 

Earlier, the authorities have declared holidays for Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Ranipet. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast isolated heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain in one or two places for these districts.

Trees were uprooted in areas including Ekkatuthangal, Adyar and Nanganallur and the city civic body was clearing them, Greater Chennai Corporation officials said.

The decision to close schools was taken in view of waterlogging and traffic disruptions. The education department has also advised parents to keep their children indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.

The IMD has forecast that the heavy rain is likely to continue in the next two days. The department has advised people to stay safe and take precautions.

"Southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Central & Northwest Bay of Bengal; some parts of Gangetic West Bengal & Jharkhand; some more parts of Bihar & remaining parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim today, the 19th June," IMD said in a statement.

Southern Railway on Monday announced partial cancellation of a number of outbound services-- including to Mysuru, Tirupati, Coimbatore and Mumbai, due to waterlogging between Vyasarpadi and Basin Bridge junction.

Meanwhile, state Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, KKSSR Ramachandran said the government has asked every district collector to take care of the relief measures, and particularly from the coastal areas to take advance measures.

In Chennai, 4,000 workers were on standby and 260 pumpsets were ready to pump out water.
Members of State Disaster Relief force have already been sent to Chennai Corporation to help them, he told PTI.

''So far, everyone is safe without casualties, also no damage has been caused to property,'' he said. He said if required, both SDRF NDRF will be deployed for conducting relief measures. Also social workers and volunteers will be deployed according to the needs, he added.

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