Why Are Chennai Schools Shut Today? Cyclone Ditwah Triggers Orange Alert with Intense Rainfall

Schools across Chennai and several other districts in Tamil Nadu are closed today as the impact of Cyclone Ditwah continues to disrupt normal life.

Though the system has weakened into a deep depression, it still carries the potential for heavy rainfall, strong winds and severe waterlogging in many low-lying and coastal areas.

Widespread Closures Across the State

According to an official order issued by Chennai Collector Rashmi Siddharth Zagade, all schools and colleges in the district will remain shut on Wednesday, December 3. The decision comes after continuous overnight rainfall that left several neighbourhoods inundated.

Other districts including Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram have also announced a one day closure of educational institutions.

Some regions are shut for additional reasons. Tiruvannamalai is observing Karthigai Deepam, while Kanyakumari has declared a local holiday because of the St. Xavier Church Kottar Festival.

Cyclone Ditwah's Movement and Weather Impact

The remnant of Cyclone Ditwah, now a deep depression, is positioned over the southwest Bay of Bengal and inching closer to the Chennai-Puducherry and southern Andhra Pradesh coastline. This has intensified rainfall in coastal belts with gusty winds ranging between 40 and 60 km per hour. Several neighbourhoods in these regions continue to report waterlogging due to repeated heavy spells.

Chennai and most of coastal Tamil Nadu are currently under an orange alert based on the latest advisory from the India Meteorological Department. Parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, including Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla and Krishna, are also under the same alert level, while Tirupathi and large sections of Andhra Pradesh fall under a yellow alert.

IMD's Latest Updates on the System

In an early Wednesday post on X, the IMD said the depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal and the adjoining North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts had moved slowly south southwestwards at a speed of three kilometres per hour. The update noted that it was centered at 11:30 pm around 100 kilometres south of Chennai.

The agency added that the minimum distance of the center of the depression from the North Tamil Nadu Puducherry coasts is roughly 25 kilometres.

Expected to Weaken Further

"It is very likely to move slowly southwestwards towards the north Tamil Nadu Puducherry coasts and weaken into a Well marked low pressure area during next six hours," the IMD said.

With continued rainfall expected and the risk of flooding still present, authorities are urging residents in vulnerable areas to remain cautious. Schools and colleges are likely to resume normal operations once conditions stabilise.