Chennai: Schools, colleges shut after heavy rain alert for 48 hours

Chennai, Nov 22: The Chennai district administration has declared holiday for schools and collegeson Thursday following a warning of heavy rain by the MeT department for the next 48 hours.

The MeT department bulletin said that a well-marked low-pressure area lies over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal Tamil Nadu. On Wednesday. The sudden change in weather comes close on the heels of cyclone Gaja that claimed nearly 45 lives and caused destruction and damage to public property.

It has also issued a warning to fishermen to not venture out into the sea. A wind warning has also been issued, with squally winds touching 60kmph along Tamil Nadu and south Andhra coasts.

Chennai and its neighbouring districts saw heavy rain on Wednesday evening as well due to a well-marked low pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal.

The Chennai collector declared a holiday for all schools as well as colleges today. Madras University has cancelled exams scheduled for today.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami will brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi today about the devastation caused by Cyclone Gaja and seek a comprehensive central assistance package to tide over the situation.

46 people were killed in Tamil Nadu after Cyclone Gaja hit the coast in Nagapattinam, leaving a trail of destruction in over 10 districts.

Meanwhile, a team from the Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party would visit the cyclone Gaja-affected districts of the State on Thursday to assess the damage caused, the party said Wednesday.