Holiday Declared In Schools And Colleges At 22 Districts In Tamil Nadu Due To Heavy Rain

The weather department has issued a red alert for heavy rains in five districts of Tamil Nadu, and schools and institutions have been shuttered in 22 districts after numerous regions were flooded, officials said today. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted heavy rainfall in the state's Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram Pudukottai, and Nagapattinam districts. Constant rains in the state have wreaked havoc on crops, buildings, and highways, as well as causing waterlogging and flooding in various regions.

A holiday has been announced for schools and institutions in 22 districts, including Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Cuddalore, Tiruvarur, Tenkasi, and Villupuram, following many periods of rain since the last month. Educational institutions in Puducherry and Karaikal have also been declared closed. Till 5:30 a.m. this morning, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, had gotten 25.9 cm of rain, while Karaikal, Puducherry, had received 11.9 cm. In Thoothukudi, water entered multiple homes, causing a flood-like situation.

After the heavy rainfall warning, officials are expecting waterlogging, significant crop damage, tree uprooting, cattle damage, and a rise in water levels in rivers and lakes.

Crops covering more than 50,000 hectares have been ravaged by excessive rain in Tamil Nadu, which has received 68% more rain than typical this monsoon season. The severe rain that has been battering the state since October has caused damage to almost 2,300 dwellings. The rains peaked with two consecutive spells in the second week of November, flooding two-thirds of the state.

Meanwhile, the state has requested a 2,600-crore assistance package, and a central team visited to survey the damage. Water from neighboring states has exacerbated the issue in Tamil Nadu, with large discharges from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh affecting numerous districts across the state.