Schools to remain close on Wednesday

Chennai: Schools will remain closed in Chennai, Nagapattinam and Tiruvallur districts on Wednesday.

The decision to close schools has been taken in view of the Metrological department forecasts that heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Thanks to the deep depression over the Gulf of Mannar, heavy rains lashed Chennai city, suburbs and several parts of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.

Weather office sources said though the Cyclone 'Ward' weakened into a deep depression and then into a depression, rains were likely to continue for the next 24 hours.

Chennai city and its suburbs received spells of heavy showers since early on Tuesday morning.

After a couple of spells in the morning, the city received heavy downpour in the evening, that lasted for nearly two hours.

Several areas were inundated and traffic jams were reported in many areas as people, returning from office, found it difficult to reach their homes.