The IMD issued an orange alert, predicting very heavy rainfall in Ramanathapuram, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurau, Villupuramm Chengalpattu, Chennai and Thiruvallur.
Schools in four districts of Tamil Nadu were shut on Wednesday (October 21) in the wake of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting heavy rainfall in the region, local media reported.
A holiday was declared for schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram districts on Wednesday, according to Dinakaran.
As per the report, district collectors declared a holiday for schools due to continuous rainfall in the region. The Chennai District Collector reportedly announced that all schools in Chennai will be given a one-day holiday as a precautionary measure amid an IMD warning.
Similarly, schools in Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and Kanchipuram districts were also declared shut on Wednesday due to incessant rains.
IMD alert
On Tuesday, the IMD issued yellow and orange alerts, predicting heavy rainfall in parts of Tamil Nadu and other states "due to likely formation of a low-pressure area over Southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Tamil Nadu coast during next 24 hours."
According to the latest bulletin from the Regional Meteorological Centre on Tuesday at 1.40 pm, an upper-air cyclonic circulation that lay over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the north Tamil Nadu coast on Monday is likely to intensify into a low-pressure area over the same region during the next 24 hours.
The IMD predicted, "...heavy to very heavy rainfall likely to continue over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal till October 26; isolated heavy rainfall likely over Lakshadweep during October 22nd-26th; Kerala and Mahe during 20th-26th October; South Interior Karnataka during 21st-24th; Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam and Rayalaseema on 20th and 21st October, 2026."
The IMD issued an orange alert in Ramanathapuram, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Chennai, and Thiruvallur.
A yellow alert was issued in the remaining districts of Tamil Nadu, including Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Dindigul. Heavy rain is also likely in Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Kallakurichi, Tiruchirappalli, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Sivagangai, Tenkasi and Tirunelveli.
However, rainfall occurred in many places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the Karaikal area during the last 24 hours, starting from Monday.
Amaravathi Pudur in Sivagangai district received the highest rainfall, 9.2 cm, during the same period, followed by Tiruvadanai in Ramanathapuram, which recorded 8 cm of rain.
Official sources told PTI that Chennai, which was battered by heavy downpour on Saturday night, with some areas like Parry's recording more than 30 cm of rainfall, witnessed only very moderate rains from Sunday.
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Akriti Anand
Akriti Anand is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint. She is a digital journalist with more than six years in the news industry.<br><br> In her current role, she covers both national and international politics, and also keeps a close watch on the latest trends in science and space exploration. <br><br> Akriti joined the LiveMint team in October 2023. Before this, she built a strong career at other major media houses. She worked as a senior sub-editor at India Today. Later, she moved to CNBCTV-18. There, she covered high-pressure topics like breaking news and major elections. She spent much of her time analysing Parliament bills and complex political debates. She is also a skilled editor who knows how to polish a story for a digital audience. <br><br> One of her career highlights happened at CNBCTV-18. She made her first television debut during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. She also provided special on-air coverage for the Karnataka Elections. <br><br> When she is not busy with breaking news, Akriti loves to write explainers and interview experts on a wide range of issues. She also enjoys making complex space missions easy for everyone to understand. <br><br> Her education helps her tackle these diverse subjects. She holds a BA in English Literature, a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Master’s degree in Development Studies. She is currently expanding her knowledge in climate journalism.<br><br> Connect with Akriti here<br> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199">https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199</a><br> Twitter/X: <a href="https://x.com/AkritiAnand7">https://x.com/AkritiAnand7</a><br> Email: akriti.anand@htdigital.in