Chennai, Nov 12 : Following heavy rains on Monday night and early Tuesday morning, the District Collector of Chennai has declared a holiday for all schools in the district.

Chennai District Collector Rashmi Siddharth Zagade informed the media that schools in Chennai will be closed on November 12, due to the intense rainfall.

However, colleges in the district will continue to function as usual. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has issued a yellow alert until November 15 for 16 districts in Tamil Nadu, warning of continued rainfall.

A low-pressure area that formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal on Monday is expected to bring heavy rains, particularly impacting the state's coastal districts.

According to the weather department, this low-pressure system developed due to cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal, extending up to 5.8 km above sea level, and is tilting southwestward.

It is projected to move toward the Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka coasts in the next two days. The RMC has forecast heavy rains with thunderstorms in the districts of Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Villupuram, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Sivaganga, and Thoothukudi.

Further, heavy rains are expected on November 14 and 15 in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Theni, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari.

The RMC has also advised fishermen to avoid going to sea until Sunday, November 17, due to squally weather, with wind speeds expected to reach 35-45 km/h and gusts up to 55 km/h along the northern and southern Tamil Nadu coast, the Gulf of Mannar, and the Comorin area.

Seasonal data for the northeast monsoon, which began on October 1, shows that Tamil Nadu has received 247 mm of rainfall, which is 13 per cent above the normal of 219 mm for this period.

Coimbatore district recorded the highest rainfall at 410 mm, 102 per cent above the seasonal average. Meanwhile, water levels in the Varaha River are rising as excess water from the Mullaperiyar Dam flows into smaller reservoirs, which are now reaching full capacity.

Officials have advised the public to avoid riverbanks and refrain from visiting Kumbakkarai Waterfalls due to continuous rain, high water levels, and the risk of flooding.

Since the northeast monsoon started on October 17, heavy rains have caused several water bodies in Tamil Nadu to overflow.

/IANS