Cyclone Ditwah: Schools, colleges to remain shut in Chennai, surrounding districts amid red alert for heavy rainfall

District collectors of three districts announced a holiday for educational institutes as a precautionary measure amid Indian Meteorological Department's red alert for heavy rainfall.

All schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram will remain closed on Tuesday as heavy rainfall lashed the three Tamil Nadu districts following the landfall of Cyclone Ditwah.

District collectors of all three districts announced a holiday for educational institutes as a precautionary measure amid India Meteorological Department's red alert for heavy rainfall.

Residents have been urged to be cautious, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow advisories issued by the state government and disaster management agencies.

Red alert in Chennai, Tiruvallur

The IMD has issued red alert for Chennai and Tiruvallur for Tuesday. On Monday, the state's capital city and nearby districts continued to receive steady downpour leading to flooding roads, highways and low-lying areas, including some residential localities.

The weather department forecast heavy to very heavy rain in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts till Tuesday morning due to the remnants of the cyclonic storm Ditwah.

Amid heavy rainfall, a car sank in Chennai, while a government bus was stranded due to sudden inundation in Poonamallee.

Traffic snarls were reported from various parts of the city, including the Kathipara flyover in the city.

Additionally, three people died in rain-related incidents caused by Cyclone Ditawh in Tamil Nadu, state Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said on Sunday.

Compensation announced

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered immediate compensation from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the loss of agricultural crops including paddy, loss of human lives and livestock and damage to houses during the northeast monsoon starting from October.

"I am directly monitoring the work to drain rainwater in all the flood-affected areas. Our government will provide all basic facilities to the people staying in the relief camps for as long as needed and will protect them," the chief minister said in a post on ‘X.’

Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, accompanied by state Hindu Religious and Charitable and Endowments Department Minister P K Sekar Babu, Chennai Mayor R Priya and officials inspected rain related relief work in the Greater Chennai Corporation's Integrated Command and Control Centre.