Thiruvarur (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 26 ( ANI): Heavy rain lashed several parts of Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvarur district early on Monday morning, disrupting daily routines and causing severe hardship to students as schools and colleges remained open despite adverse weather warnings.
Students were seen heading to schools drenched in the downpour during morning hours, struggling through persistent rain and waterlogged roads.
Despite the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a forecast predicting heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds across the region, no official holiday was announced for educational institutions in the district.
The decision to keep schools and colleges functional amid the worsening weather has drawn sharp reactions from parents, who expressed deep concern over their children's safety and well-being.
Citing the weather department's warnings of continued wet spells and gusty winds, parents urged the district collector and local administration to review the situation and promptly declare a holiday for schools and colleges.
Normal life in several low-lying areas of the delta district has been impacted as rain continues to pound the area, with residents and commuters navigating rain-lashed roads and sluggish traffic.
Tourists have been barred from visiting Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu amid a heavy rain warning as the northeast monsoon intensifies.
Police are monitoring the situation and turning back vehicles carrying tourists as a precautionary measure in view of the weather warning.
Meanwhile, the cyclonic storm over the east-central Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by midnight on Monday and further into a very severe cyclonic storm by October 27, Visakhapatnam Meteorological Department Director P.L.N. Murthy said.
"The cyclone is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Visakhapatnam during the forenoon of October 28, with wind speeds of 115 to 125 kmph, gusting up to 140 kmph, at the time of landfall," he said.
"The system is currently moving west-northwestwards, and heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is forecast across coastal Andhra Pradesh over the next 48 hours," he said.
According to the district-wise rainfall forecast, extremely heavy rainfall is likely on October 27 in Konaseema, Kakinada, East Godavari, West Godavari and Eluru districts.
"Very heavy rainfall is expected in Bapatla, Krishna, Guntur, NTR, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam and Srikakulam districts on the same day. On October 28, very heavy rainfall is likely in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Parvathipuram Manyam districts, while extremely heavy rainfall is expected in the remaining districts of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh," he said.
Meanwhile, fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea from Monday until October 29 in view of the anticipated adverse weather conditions.
Distant Warning Signal Number 2 has been hoisted at ports from Visakhapatnam to Machilipatnam and Ongole as a precautionary measure.