Several schools in Tamil Nadu closed due to rains

Women, carrying drinking water, wade through a flooded street in Velacherry inundated after heavy incessant rains due to the onset of North East Monsoon, in Chennai on Tuesday. PTI Photo by R Senthil Kumar

Schools in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts were closed for second consecutive day on Wednesday owing to rains, the district administrations said. Schools in these districts were closed on Tuesday owing to rains on Monday. However, on Tuesday there were no rains during the day. Nevertheless the district administrations declared holidays due to water logging in the schools.

The weather department has predicted rain or thundershowers at most places over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and at many places over interior Tamil Nadu for the next four days.

Officials said four persons died in rain-related incidents in different places since Monday evening taking the toll to five. One person was killed in a wall collapse in Thanjavur district on Monday. Two persons died at suburban Anakaputhur last night after being struck by lightning while two others died in rain related incidents at Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts, official sources told PTI.

A woman removes rain water from her house in Velacherry inundated after heavy incessant rains due to the onset of North East Monsoon, in Chennai on Tuesday. PTI Photo 

The Met department has forecast widespread rain or thundershowers with scattered heavy to very heavy falls in coastal areas in the next 24 hours due to the vigorous monsoon, which set in over the state last week.

The upper air cyclonic circulation over Southwest Bay of Bengal near Sri Lanka moved westward and was now positioned over Gulf of Munnar, Director of the Area Cyclone Warning Centre, S Balachandran told reporters.

Normal life in localities such as Vyasarpadi, Otteri, Tiruvotriyur in the North and Velachery, Madipakkam and Mudichur in the Southern parts of the city was disrupted by the impact caused by overnight rains on Tueday.

Two-wheeler riders and pedestrians were affected the most due to waterlogging. Civic authorities said action was being taken to clear inundation by using water-pumps. Intermittent spells of rain, however, continued in various other coastal districts, including Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur.

(with inputs with agencies)