Tamil Nadu is bracing for heavy rains as the state government has issued an alert regarding the weather forecast till October 17. Tamil Nadu is expected to receive heavy rains due to a low pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal at 5:30 am on Monday.

Chief Minister MK Stalin has asked officials to declare a public holiday for schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts on Tuesday.

The CM also directed the authorities to issue an advisory to allow employees of IT companies in these districts to work from home from October 15 to 18.

Here’s everything you need to know about the rain-related updates in Tamil Nadu and neighboring areas:

– The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to extremely heavy rains in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal regions during the next three days.

– The weather agency has issued an orange alert from October 14 to 16 for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal regions. “Isolated heavy to very heavy rain is expected over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal between October 12 and 16, with the most intense showers likely on October 14 and 15. An orange alert has been issued from October 14 to 16,” the IMD said.

– “In 24 hours, heavy rains are expected in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts. Heavy rains are expected tomorrow in the northern coastal districts from Delta to Tiruvallur. Fishermen have been advised not to venturing into the sea. The red alert issued includes both rainfall amount and impact,” said Regional Meteorological Center Dr. S. Balachandran.

– The Puducherry government has also declared a public holiday for all schools and colleges in the Union Territory on October 15 in view of the heavy rain warning.

– The IMD has also predicted heavy rains in parts of Andhra Pradesh from October 14 to 17. It has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in parts of South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) and Rayalaseema from Monday to Thursday.

– It also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning in parts of SCAP, North Coast Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), Yanam and Rayalaseema during the next four days.

– Andhra officials informed CM N Chandrababu Naidu that rains will occur in Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor, Kurnool, Kadapa and Anantapur districts. While Nellore recorded 30 mm of rainfall, they observed that the rainfall would intensify from Tuesday.

– In Sri Lanka, three people lost their lives and more than 1,25,000 people were left stranded after Sri Lanka witnessed extreme weather conditions in 12 districts, prompting authorities to close all schools in the capital region on Monday after heavy rain triggered rain. Sri Lanka’s President Anura Dissanayake has ordered an additional 50 million rupees to be allocated to provide relief, even though some districts have received rainfall exceeding 100mm in the past two days.