Cyclone Ditwah wreaks havoc, schools and colleges closed in several districts, heavy rains flood roads and highways:

News Topical, Digital Desk : Cyclone Ditwa has wreaked havoc in the southern states. Schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts will remain closed on December 2 in view of the heavy rains caused by the cyclone. District officials took this decision late on Monday night as a precautionary measure. According to news agency ANI report, the district collectors of the three districts have announced that all educational institutions in the district will remain closed on December 2 due to the weather alert. Officials said that the holiday has been declared to ensure the safety of students amid the possibility of heavy rains and waterlogging.

Advisory issued

Furthermore, residents have been urged to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary travel and follow further advisories issued by the state government and disaster management agencies. Three people have died in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu due to Cyclone Ditwa, Tamil Nadu Disaster Management Minister K.K.S.R. Ramachandran said on Sunday. Incessant rains continued in Chennai and its surrounding districts on Monday, inundating roads, highways and low-lying areas, including some residential areas.

Heavy rain alert issued

Moderate to heavy rains lashed Chennai, submerging the AGS Colony in Velachery, while a car drowned in the city and a government bus got stuck in Poonamallee due to sudden waterlogging. Traffic jams were reported from several areas in the city, including the Kathipara flyover. An official said the sudden waterlogging and some potholes on the service road might have caused the vehicle to sink. The weather department has predicted heavy to very heavy rains in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts till Tuesday morning due to cyclonic storm Ditwa, which has formed near the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts.

MK Stalin announces compensation

Meanwhile, amid the havoc wreaked by heavy rains, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said he has ordered immediate compensation from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the loss of agricultural crops, including paddy, human lives and livestock, and damage to houses during the northeast monsoon season, which began in October. "I am directly monitoring the stormwater drainage work in all flood-affected areas. Our government will provide all basic amenities and protect the people living in relief camps for as long as they need," the Chief Minister said in a post on X.

Flights were cancelled

A flood warning has also been issued in Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, and Chennai districts due to the possibility of high water levels in the Adyar, Kosasthalaiyar, and Araniyar rivers. Heavy rains have destroyed crops in the Cauvery delta districts. A deep depression has formed over the sea east of Chennai, causing continuous rainfall. Due to this, Chennai airport officials have canceled 10 flights from here.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Ditwa has weakened into a deep depression and is expected to remain in that state for the next 24 hours. It said that rainfall may also occur in the next few hours due to Ditwa's influence.