(MENAFN- IANS) Chennai, Dec 4 (IANS) Following days of relentless rainfall triggered by Cyclonic Storm Ditwah over the Bay of Bengal, authorities have announced school closures in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts as a precautionary measure to ensure student safety.

Several coastal pockets in Chennai, Tiruvallur and nearby districts experienced intense downpours accompanied by strong winds as the weakened system continued to hover over the region. Considering the persistent rain and waterlogged stretches across the city, Chennai District Collector Rashmi Siddharth Jagde extended holidays for schools for today. This marks the third consecutive day of closure in the district.

In neighbouring Tiruvallur, District Collector Pratap announced a holiday only for schools on Thursday, citing heavy rain in select areas.

Unlike Chennai, other government offices and establishments continued to function normally.

By this morning, rainfall had slightly reduced in many parts of the city, offering some relief to residents who had been coping with waterlogging, traffic disruptions and prolonged damp conditions since the beginning of the week.

The sky cleared briefly, raising hopes of further improvement. The Regional Meteorological Centre stated that rainfall is expected to gradually decrease over the next 24 hours as the system weakens further. However, pockets of the Chengalpattu district continued to witness heavy spells. Localities under the Chengalpattu and Kattankulathur unions -- including Kolathur, Balur and Appur -- saw sharp showers accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Heavy runoff from the Ninnakarai forest area gushed through the Kairampedu region, flooding stretches along the Kuduvanchery - Kottamedu Road. Near the Perumattunallur bus stand, rainwater flowed like a stream on both sides of the road, forcing vehicles to crawl through the inundated stretches. In Vishnupriya Nagar near Guduvanchery, almost every street was submerged, and rainwater entered over a hundred houses, causing inconvenience to residents and raising concerns about drainage preparedness in the rapidly developing suburbs.

While Chennai is beginning to see improved weather, officials continue to monitor vulnerable zones, urging residents to remain cautious as intermittent rainfall is still likely.

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