IMD warns of heavy rain in Tamil Nadu; school, colleges shut in Chennai

Chennai: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Tamilnadu and Puducherry. Heavy showers are also likely at isolated places over Kerala and south Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

In view of the warning from the Met office, schools and colleges have been ordered to remain closed on Thursday. The order has been passed by Chennai collector.

Tamil Nadu, for the last couple of weeks, was reeling under severe cyclonic storm Gaja which claimed lives of 11 people.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and brief him about the devastation caused by the cyclonic storm. He will seek a comprehensive central assistance package to tide over the situation.

The Tamil Nadu government has, meanwhile, released Rs 1,000 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund to the cyclone-affected districts to carry out relief and rehabilitation measures which include solatium to the kin of the dead, damage for crops, trees and houses.

Coconut trees and banana plantations spread across several lakhs of acres in districts including Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam were uprooted pushing farmers into a crisis.

Palaniswami after touring the affected districts had said the government will certainly take steps to get central funds and submit details of the damage with proof.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit meanwhile visited affected areas including Vedaranyam and Pushpavanam in Nagapattinam district and distributed assistance to people.

He also inspected food preparations at the relief centres and interacted with doctors at a medical camp.

(With inputs from agencies)