The Telangana government has announced two-day holiday for schools in the state due to heavy rain. The schools will remain closed today (Thursday) and Friday, Telangana Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy said on Twitter. The decision comes after India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Jagityal, Rajanna Sirsilla, Karimnagar, Peddapalli, and Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts. The weather department said that the southwest monsoon has been vigorous over Telangana and issued warning accordingly.
"Keeping in view of the heavy rainfall in the state and under the instructions of the Honourable CM, KCR garu, the Govt has decided to declare holidays for two days to all education institutions in the state. That is Thursday and Friday," the education minister said in her tweet.
The schools will reopen only when the situation is under control and it is safe for public to commute. Students, staff members of the schools and parents have been asked to take note of the announcement.
Heavy rainfall is caused water level in Godavari river to rise at a fast pace. At 9am on Thursday, Godavari was flowing at 40 feet even as 8,05,158 cusecs of water was released downstream, news agency PTI cited an official release.
According to news agency ANI, the IMD on Wednesday issued an orange warning across Telangana for the next two days warning of widespread rainfall.
"At present, the weather situation indicates that there is an upper air cyclonic circulation laying over Odisha and its adjoining areas of Northwest Bay of Bengal and West Central Bay extending up to 7.6 kilometres above mean sea level," Dr K Nagaratnam, Director of Hyderabad Meteorological Centre said.
"During the next 24 hours, it is likely to intensify into a low-pressure system over the same area. Also, cyclonic circulation lays over Chhattisgarh and its adjoining areas up to 1.5 kilometres above mean sea level," he added.