Cyclone Ockhi: Maharashtra govt declares school holiday tomorrow due to ‘serious weather predictions’

A man uses his mobile phone to take photographs of tides on the shores of the Arabian Sea, after flooding caused by Cyclone Ockhi in the coastal village of Chellanam in the southern state of Kerala, India, December 2, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

A precautionary holiday has been declared in schools in Mumbai and adjoining districts on Tuesday due to “serious weather predictions” in the wake of Cyclone Ockhi, said Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde.

“Precautionary holiday declared for schools in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Sindhudurga, Ratnagiri, Thane, Raigad and Palghar Districts for the safety of the students due to the serious weather predictions on Cyclone Ockhi,” Tawde wrote on Twitter.

However, Mumbai University and affiliated colleges will not be closed tomorrow and all exams will be held as announced earlier, ANI reported.

Meanwhile, the National Crisis Management Committee reviewed relief and rescue operations in states and union territories affected by the cyclone and took stock of preparedness activities in Maharashtra and Gujarat which are likely to be impacted by the cyclone.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, “The severe cyclonic storm Ockhi is now laid centred about 850 km south-southwest of Surat and is likely to cross south Gujarat and adjoining North Maharashtra coasts near Surat as a deep depression by mid night of December 5.”

As many as 183 fishermen stranded in choppy waters off the coasts of Kerala and Lakshadweep were rescued till today, said Inspector General K R Nautiyal, Commander, Coast Guard Region (West) told reporters. “The Coast Guard Region (West) at Mumbai is assessing the impact of cyclone in the sea area. It has tasked ships and aircraft for providing critical assistance to the fishermen at sea,” he said.

The cyclone has wreaked havoc on a large part of coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep. The death toll in the rain-related incidents was put at 25 by the Kerala government.

With inputs from agencies