Heavy Rain Alert: Will Schools and Colleges in Puducherry Remain Closed?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Holiday declared for schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal.
- Continuous rainfall due to the northeast monsoon since Monday night.
- Red and orange alerts issued for various districts in Tamil Nadu.
- Authorities are ensuring safety through proactive measures.
- Residents advised to stay indoors and follow weather advisories.
Puducherry, Oct 22 (NationPress) Due to a heavy rain warning issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the government of Puducherry has announced a holiday for all educational institutions in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions this Wednesday.
Home and Education Minister A. Namassivayam stated that both government and private schools, along with colleges in these areas, will be closed as a precautionary action to protect students.
The northeast monsoon has intensified, resulting in continuous rainfall since Monday night, leading authorities to advise residents to refrain from unnecessary travel, particularly in areas prone to flooding.
Updates regarding the reopening of schools will be based on the developing weather conditions, the minister noted.
In a similar vein, several coastal districts of Tamil Nadu have also opted for school holidays on Wednesday.
In Chennai, only schools—both government and private—will be closed, while in districts such as Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Kallakurichi, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, and Thiruvallur, both schools and colleges will remain shut as a precaution.
The IMD has issued a Red Alert for Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, and Karaikal (Union Territory), anticipating very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.
An orange alert has been raised for Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours.
As per the IMD, a deep depression formed in the southwest Bay of Bengal early Tuesday morning around 5:30 a.m. is expected to strengthen further within the next 24 hours.
This system is moving west-northwest towards the coasts of northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and southern Andhra Pradesh, potentially becoming a low-pressure area before making landfall between the Tamil Nadu–Andhra coastline.
Strong winds of 45–55 km/h, with gusts up to 65 km/h, are anticipated along the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Fishermen have been advised to avoid going to sea due to the rough conditions.
District administrations are on high alert, with disaster response teams deployed throughout coastal regions. The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) has instructed officials to ensure that relief camps are ready to manage possible flooding and power outages.
Authorities are urging residents in vulnerable zones to stay indoors and adhere to weather advisories as the deep depression continues to gain strength over the Bay of Bengal.