Chennai rains: Heavy showers to lash THESE districts; schools shut, work from home allowed for...

Chennai rain news: Weather expert Dr S Balachandran said Sunday evening that heavy rainfall is likely to hit Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu in the next 24 hours. He said the intensity of rainfall may increase on Tuesday, October 15.

"...In 24 hours, heavy rainfall is expected in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts. Heavy rainfall is expected in north coastal districts from Delta till Tiruvallur tomorrow," said S Balachandran, the Scientist and Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre.

He also advised fishermen not to venture into seas.

Schools, colleges shut; work from home

In light of the heavy rain forecast, the Tamil Nadu government declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts for October 15.

The government also instructed the authorities to issue an advisory to allow employees of IT companies in these districts to work from home from October 15 to 18, an official release said.

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said, "We are fully prepared for the monsoon rains. The CM has announced holidays for schools in Chennai and Tiruvallur as we expect heavy rains tomorrow. We have issued work-from-home orders [for private companies] so that people do not travel."

On Sunday, the weather department forecast heavy rains over several districts in the state for October 14. "Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Dharmapuri, Salem, Nilgiris, Erode, Namakkal, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram districts," it had said.

It also forecast heavy rains at isolated places over Villupuram, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam districts and Puducherry and Karaikal among others.

Chennai and its neighbouring regions are also expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall as the northeast monsoon is likely to set in by October 15 or 16, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

(With inpts from ANI)