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As Tamil Nadu slowly recovers from days of heavy rain caused by Cyclone Ditwah, parents and students are waiting to know if schools will remain closed on Friday, December 5. While several districts had already announced holidays earlier this week, the decision for today is still pending and will depend on the latest weather and ground conditions.
On Thursday, schools in Chennai and Tiruvallur were closed due to waterlogging and disrupted transport. Officials said they will decide on Friday’s schedule after reviewing the current situation and updated weather forecasts. A short break in the persistent rain brought sunshine to parts of Chennai on Wednesday, giving relief to residents after almost a week of flooding and cloudy skies. However, authorities warned that conditions have not fully returned to normal across the district.
Weather agencies reported that the low-pressure system that caused the heavy rainfall has weakened into a less-marked disturbance. Despite this, an upper-air cyclonic circulation remains active over the southeast Arabian Sea and the Lakshadweep region. Because of this, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has issued a yellow alert for 13 districts, including Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Villuppuram, Nilgiris, Coimbatore (ghat areas), Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi, along with Puducherry.
Earlier in the week, district administrations had declared school holidays on December 3 and 4 in the worst-hit areas of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu. As for December 5, no official holiday has been announced yet. Authorities are expected to make a final decision after assessing road conditions, waterlogging, and safety concerns.
While schools are likely to reopen as the weather improves, several interior roads are still damaged, and many residential areas continue to have standing water. Some districts may still observe a precautionary holiday.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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