Cyclone Ditwah: Schools, colleges shut today in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram due to rain alert

The decision was taken by district authorities late on Monday as a precautionary measure.

Chennai District Collector Roshni Siddharth Jagade announced that all educational institutions in the district would observe a holiday on December 2 due to weather alerts.

Similar orders were issued by the District Collectors of Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram.

Officials said the holiday has been declared to ensure student safety amid the possibility of intense rainfall and waterlogging.

Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow further advisories issued by the state government and disaster management agencies.

Three people have died in rain-related incidents caused by Cyclone Ditawh in Tamil Nadu, state Disaster Management Minister K K S S R Ramachandran said on Sunday.

So far, 334 people have been confirmed dead across Sri Lanka as authorities continue to battle rising floodwaters in parts of the capital, Colombo, after a powerful cyclone left a trail of destruction.

Meanwhile, on Monday, India sent 53 tons of relief material to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu as part of its emergency response to Cyclone Ditwah, which caused widespread damage across the island nation.

Rescue operations have been taking place simultaneously. Chetak helicopters from INS Vikrant and MI-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force, in coordination with the Sri Lankan Air Force, conducted extensive rescue operations, airlifting stranded people, including pregnant women, infants, and those critically injured. Rescued persons included nationals of Sri Lanka, India, Germany, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Poland, Belarus, Iran, Australia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

On November 28, India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide urgent Search & Rescue and Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) support to Sri Lanka in the wake of the Cyclone. (ANI)