Weather Updates: Chennai, Puducherry Schools Shut Amid Rains Alert; Delhi AQI Nears ‘Severe’ Category Again – News18

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday predicted heavy rains in several states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, and Manipur for the next four days due to upper-air cyclonic circulation. Chennai and Puducherry announced the closure of schools and colleges on November 15 as rainfall continued to lash the regions.

Moreover, IMD regional director Ganesh Das told news agency PTI that a close eye is being kept on the weather forecast in Kolkata as a spell of steady showers is threatening to play spoilsport in the second World Cup semi-final between Australia and South Africa on Thursday. While there is a reserve day for all three knock-out games, as per the weather bulletin, rain would only “intensify” on Friday.

Weather Updates:

• Light to moderate rainfall at many places with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal on November 15.
• Schools in Chennai, Puducherry and Karaikal regions to remain shut owing to the alert by the weather department. Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam said that as there was no respite from showers, holiday has been declared for educational institutions on Wednesday.
• Lt Governor of Puducherry, Tamilisai Soundararajan told media that all precautionary steps have been taken in the context of the current inclement weather and appealed to the people not to venture out unnecessarily. She added that the government machinery is ready to rise to any exigency.
• In Chennai, Deputy Director General of the Regional Meteorological Centre S Balachandran said the coastal districts and some interior districts would continue to receive heavy rainfall for the next two days.
• Due to incessant showers, the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday established 121 multipurpose shelters, and 4,967 relief camps.
• Light to moderate wet spells at many places with isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Nagaland and Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya till November 18.
• The IMD has forecast heavy rains in Odisha with windspeeds of 45kmph to 65kmph following the formation of a low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal.
• IMD scientist Umashankar Dash on Tuesday said the low-pressure area over Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Andaman and Nicobar Islands is likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over West- Central Bay of Bengal on November 15.  “Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea from November 15 to November 17 till further notice,” the IMD said.
• The IMD said light to moderate rainfall will occur at a few places in coastal districts of Odisha on November 15 and the intensity of downpour will increase in the subsequent days with isolated very heavy rainfall on November 16.
• Air pollution in Delhi neared the “severe” category again amid unfavourable meteorological conditions on Tuesday and relief is unlikely soon. The capital’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 397, worsening from 358 on Monday and 218 on Sunday. “It’s evident that the spike in pollution levels post Diwali is due to two factors — firecracker bursting and farm fires — with fireworks being the predominant reason in this case,” an official of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) told PTI.

(with inputs from PTI)