Heavy Rainfall Forces School Closures in Madurai District, Tamil Nadu

In response to the intensifying Northeast Monsoon in Tamil Nadu, Madurai District Collector has announced the closure of schools in the region today due to heavy rainfall. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast widespread rainfall across several districts, with an alert issued for 14 districts, indicating a possibility of heavy rain within the next 24 hours due to cyclonic circulation. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has raised an ‘orange alert’ for various districts, signifying the seriousness of the weather situation.

Specifically, the IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in five districts: Kanniyakumari, Nellai, Theni, Nilgiris, and Tenkasi. Additionally, heavy rain is expected in 14 other districts, including Coimbatore, Tirupur, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Pudukottai, Tanjore, Tiruvarur, Nagai, Mayiladuthurai, and Erode.

This announcement follows a similar move made by the Tamil Nadu government on November 4, where schools in Chennai, Madurai, and several other districts were closed due to the inclement weather. The India Meteorological Department has also issued isolated heavy rainfall alerts for neighboring regions, including Kerala, Puducherry, Karaikal, Coastal and South Interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, and Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

The heavy rainfall in southern India is attributed to the Northeast Monsoon, also known as the winter monsoon, which typically occurs between October and December. As safety remains a top priority, local authorities and meteorological departments are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the well-being of residents and students in the affected regions.