In Frames | Chennai rains

News in Frames | Heavy rains lash Chennai and its suburbs; holiday declared for schools

Intense thunderstorms lashed coastal areas in and around Chennai on Sunday night, with further storms expected over many places of Tamil Nadu on June 19 as well. In what could be the first widespread, heavy rain spell in Chennai this Southwest monsoon, it provided a reprieve to several areas after a fortnight of sweltering heat in the city and surrounding districts.

Chennai woke up to heavy rains and thunderstorms on Monday, leading to the government declaring a holiday for schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Ranipet and Tiruvallur.

The district collectors of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Ranipet and Chengalpet have declared a holiday for schools in the region. International flight operations at the airport were affected as around 10 incoming flights, including from Doha and Dubai were diverted to Bengaluru, subsequently affecting departure as well.

The showers brought relief to people from the sweltering heat that the city and its nearby districts had been witnessing over the past few days. The weather office forecast more spells of rain for the city and its suburbs on Monday.