Tamil Nadu rains: Schools shut, IMD issues 'orange alert'
Amid heavy downpours due to the onset of the northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu, schools have been shut on Saturday in nine districts of the state. These districts include Madhurai, Chennai, Tenkasi, Theni, Kanyakumari, Sivagangai, Tirunelveli, Dindukkal, and Nellai. Isolated regions of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Karaikal are expected to continue to receive moderate rainfall over the next six days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Visuals of rain from Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam
IMD issues orange alert for several TN districts
The IMD has also issued an "orange alert" for several Tamil Nadu districts, namely Kanyakumari, Nellai, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Nilgiris, and Coimbatore, due to the heavy downpours battering the state. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the weather department confirmed the state received "heavy" to "very heavy" rainfall between Friday and Saturday 8:30am. While Mettupalayam received 13cm of rain during this period, Kamuthi, Sivagiri, and Alandhur got 12cm of rainfall.
IMD's latest weather update
Orange alert issued for specific districts
Torrential downpours have been battering the state since Friday, with the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai warning about more rain in the coming three days. Additional Director General of Meteorology S Balachandran told ANI, "Heavy rain is likely to occur in the next 24 hours at certain places in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Theni, and Dindigul districts." "Heavy rain is also likely in certain places in Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Tiruppur, and Ramanathapuram districts," he added.
2 killed, 18 injured in lightning in Madurai
On the other hand, at least two individuals died and 18 others sustained injuries in a lighting incident on Friday in Madurai district. Providing further details on the incident, Madurai Superintendent of Police (SP) R Shiva Prasad told the media, "Six people have been admitted to Madurai government hospital. The rest have been admitted to Sivagangai government hospital." The IMD previously said that due to a cyclonic circulation over Sri Lanka, states in South India may receive heavy rainfall.
All you need to know about northeast monsoon
The northeast monsoon, a comparatively smaller-scale version of the southwest monsoon, usually happens between October and December. While it is also known as the winter monsoon, the northeast monsoon is specifically confined to the southern peninsula of the country. Tamil Nadu receives approximately 48% of its annual rainfall during the northeast monsoons. In comparison, it receives 35% of its annual rainfall from the southwest monsoon.
