Heavy Rains in Tamil Nadu: will Schools and Colleges in Chennai remain closed tomorrow?

Chennai and parts of Andhra Pradesh faced heavy rain today, prompting the closure of schools. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had warned of continuous rainfall, predicting it would last for two more days. Streets in Chennai were flooded, with water reaching knee-deep in some areas, severely affecting public transport.

Due to the heavy rains, the IMD issued a red alert for parts of Tamil Nadu, indicating "very heavy rainfall" on October 17 and 18. Schools, colleges, and government offices were closed on Wednesday across southern India, including Chennai and Bengaluru. The worst-hit cities have experienced major traffic jams, long power outages, and delays in flights.

Future School closures likely

As a precaution, the state governments of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh instructed private schools and colleges to stay closed and conduct online classes instead. In Bengaluru, a heavy rainfall alert remains in place until October 18, and while no official announcement has been made yet, it is expected that schools and colleges will stay closed tomorrow, October 17.

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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar reassured the public that the government is ready to handle the situation and address any issues caused by the rain.

In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin monitored the situation in Chennai, inspecting areas affected by the rain. The IMD also issued a heavy rainfall alert for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, South Andhra Pradesh, and Rayalaseema on October 17, warning of possible thunderstorms in Chennai. 

In Andhra Pradesh, the government declared school and college holidays in the districts of Tirupati, Chittoor, Nellore, and Prakasam for Wednesday and Thursday. Educational institutions in these areas will remain closed on October 17 as well.