TN govt likely to extend holiday for educational institutions as heavy rain continues

Chennai, Oct 15 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government is likely to extend holidays for schools and colleges on October 16 as heavy rains continue in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu districts.

With the weather department predicting extreme rain on Wednesday, many parents are inquiring whether the state will extend holidays for schools and colleges in these districts.

Kiran Raj, a software engineer living in Anna Nagar, whose daughter is a class 7 student, expressed concern about the situation.

“We have only one daughter, and with the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) announcing heavy to extreme rains in Chennai and surrounding areas on October 16, we are waiting for an announcement from the government about the extension of holidays for schools and colleges tomorrow,” he said.

He noted that the RMC has forecast up to 20 cm of rain in some areas around Chennai on Wednesday.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are also on high alert, as heavy rains are affecting several parts of north Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts.

A total of 65,000 volunteers are prepared across the state, including 10,000 in Chennai alone, ready to respond to any disaster-like situation.

In the next couple of days, the city is expected to receive up to 204 mm of rain. SDRF and NDRF teams have brought pumps of 50 HP, 100 HP, and 150 HP to remove water from flooded areas in Chennai and surrounding districts.

At least 931 relief camps have been set up across Tamil Nadu, with 300 of them under the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

These camps are prepared to accommodate residents from low-lying areas or those who may need to be relocated due to flooding or waterlogging.

Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, visited the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) to assess the situation in Chennai and other flood-prone areas.

When asked whether holidays would be extended for Wednesday, given the heavy rain forecast, he said, “The Chief Minister will make the final decision, and an announcement will be made by this evening.”

--IANS

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