Heavy rain forces school closures in parts of TN today

Chennai: Heavy rain triggered by the strengthening northeast monsoon has prompted authorities to declare a holiday for schools in several parts of Tamil Nadu on Monday, while educational institutions in Chengalpattu district will function as usual.

District Collectors have announced school holidays across Coimbatore, Dindigul and Ramanathapuram districts. In the Nilgiris, the closure applies only to schools in Udhagamandalam, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Kundah taluks. Schools elsewhere in the hill district will remain open. Schools in Periyakulam taluk of Theni district have also been given a holiday following persistent rain along the foothills of the Kodaikanal hills.

The announcement comes amid a red alert for exceptionally heavy rainfall in Theni district.

Puducherry Education Minister A. Namassivayam announced a holiday for schools and colleges in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions. In Kallakurichi district, holidays have been declared for selected institutions, including Porasakurichi Panchayat Union Middle School, Virugavur Panchayat Union Primary School, Virugavur Government Higher Secondary School, Government Model Higher Secondary School, and Eriyur Panchayat Union Middle School in Chinnasalem block.

Meanwhile, the Chengalpattu Collector clarified that schools and colleges across the district would operate normally. The closures follow widespread rainfall across Tamil Nadu as a weather system over the central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal intensified.

According to the forecast cited in the announcement, the system is expected to strengthen into a cyclone, bringing further rain to several parts of the state. The weather department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain with thunderstorms in Pudukkottai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts. Heavy rain is also likely in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. Other areas could receive moderate rainfall accompanied by strong winds.

Rain lashed Allinagaram, Annanji, Vadapudupatti and Aranmanai Pudur near Theni, while downpours affected motorists in several parts of Kanniyakumari district, including Kuzhithurai, Marthandam, Arumanai, Kulasekaram and Thuckalay.

In Tiruvannamalai, devotees undertaking girivalam for the Aippasi full moon braved overnight rain with umbrellas and raincoats. In Palani, rainfall intensified at night, with wall collapses damaging houses along the Palani-Old Dharapuram Road.

The holiday orders cover Monday alone. In districts where closures have been restricted to specified taluks or individual institutions, the announcements do not extend to all schools across the district. The Nilgiris administration specifically said schools in the remaining taluks would function normally.

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