After heavy rains on Monday night, November 11, and Tuesday morning, November 12, Chennai’s District Collector, Rashmi Siddharth Zagade, announced a holiday for all schools in the district on November 12. However, colleges will remain open.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) issued a yellow alert for 16 Tamil Nadu districts, warning of continued rainfall through November 15, stated a report by IANS.
A low-pressure system that developed over the southwest Bay of Bengal on November 11 is expected to bring heavy rains, particularly to coastal areas.
This system is likely to move towards the Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka coasts over the next two days, with thunderstorms and heavy rains forecast for Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and other regions.
The RMC has also warned of squally weather, advising fishermen to avoid going to sea until November 17 due to strong winds of 35-45 km/h, with gusts up to 55 km/h along Tamil Nadu’s coasts, IANS added.
Since the start of the northeast monsoon on October 1, Tamil Nadu has received 247 mm of rainfall, 13% above the seasonal average. Coimbatore recorded the highest rainfall at 410 mm. Officials have warned the public to avoid riverbanks and areas like Kumbakkarai Waterfalls due to rising water levels and flooding risks.