Heavy overnight rain forces school closures across five Tamil Nadu districts

Schools in five districts of Tamil Nadu are closed on Thursday, October 22, 2026, after heavy rain lashed the region overnight.

District Decisions

District officials announced the holiday closures as water stagnated in areas like Anna Salai in Chennai. Tirunelveli District Collector Anand Mohan and Tenkasi District Collector Ranjeet Singh declared holidays for schools in their areas. Thoothukudi District Collector Vishu Mahajan and Kanniyakumari District Collector M. Prathap also announced closures due to widespread rainfall. Officials declared a similar holiday for schools in Tirupattur district.

Rainfall Data

Data from the Regional Meteorological Centre shows Mamallapuram recorded the highest rainfall at nine centimeters. Tenkasi and Sattankulam in Thoothukudi district each received six centimeters of rain. Tirunelveli, Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvarur recorded five centimeters each. Several other districts including Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Salem, Ranipet and Kanniyakumari also received rain. The meteorological department forecast light to moderate rain to continue in Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai and Viluppuram districts.

Context

Heavy downpours during the northeast monsoon season frequently disrupt normal routines in Tamil Nadu, prompting local administrations to shut educational institutions temporarily to ensure student safety. Weather departments routinely track these downpours to issue timely warnings to districts affected by rising water levels and continuous precipitation.