Schools Closed In Chennai Due To Heavy Rainfall; IMD Issues Yellow Alert

Chennai is bracing for more heavy rainfall after a night of steady showers, leading to the district collector, Rashmi Siddharth Zagade, announcing a school holiday for Tuesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert across several districts, with warnings in place for 12 districts on November 12, 17 districts on November 13, 27 districts on November 14, and 25 districts on November 15.

The forecast predicts significant rainfall for Chennai and neighbouring areas, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpet. These regions could see rainfall between 6 cm and 12 cm in isolated pockets over the next 24 hours, continuing until November 15. The intense weather is attributed to a low-pressure area developing over the southwest Bay of Bengal, which is expected to move toward Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka in the coming days.

The IMD has issued a warning for moderate to heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in some areas, over the next 48 hours. "For the next 48 hours, the city and the suburbs may receive moderate to heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning over some areas. Skies may be partly cloudy. Maximum temperature is likely to be around 32°C-33°C and minimum temperature is likely to be around 25°C," the IMD bulletin stated. 

The rainfall, expected to start along the coastal belt from Tiruvallur to Ramanathapuram on November 12, will likely spread to neighbouring regions by November 13. Since the beginning of October, Chennai has recorded 43 cm of rainfall, slightly above the average, while Tamil Nadu as a whole has received 26 cm, a one per cent excess. 

Residents are advised to stay alert as the weather conditions are expected to intensify in the coming days.