Cyclone Fengal: Bengaluru schools to remain open amid yellow alert for rain

Cyclone Fengal has affected most of South India, including Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka and Kerala and has caused severe damage. Heavy rainfall battered Karnataka’s Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada districts, while Puducherry recorded 48.4 cm of rainfall in 24 hours. Mailam in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district reported the highest rainfall at 50 cm.

At least six people have died due to the cyclone that has caused severe disruptions, including power outages, flooded streets, and damaged infrastructure.



The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued alerts for continued rainfall. It has flagged a red alert for four districts in Kerala and an orange alert for five districts in Tamil Nadu. Karnataka's Bengaluru experienced moderate rain and remains under a yellow alert for the next three days.

School closed due to rains in Tamil Nadu

Shools and colleges in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram, Cuddalore and Puducherry were closed due to the heavy rains on Tuesday. Nilgiris District Magistrate Lakshmi Bhavya also declared a holiday for schools due to the downpour. Similarly, in Ranipet, Salem, and Tiruvannamalai, schools alone were ordered to remain shut. Kallakurichi’s Thirukovilur Town and Krishnagiri’s Pechampalli and Uthangarai Taluk schools were also closed.

Karnataka school closure amid cyclone Fengal

In Karnataka, streets of Mangaluru were water logged and basements of several buildings inundated. The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre and IMD issued an orange alert for rains in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi until Tuesday morning.

In response, Deputy Commissioners Mullai Muhilan M.P. (Dakshina Kannada) and Vidya Kumari K. (Udupi) declared holidays for all schools and PU colleges. Ramanagara district also announced school and college closures.

Bengaluru schools: No holiday for rainy day

Bengaluru, which has been issued a yellow alert, has been receiving rain since Sunday evening. IMD Bengaluru Director C S Patil forecasted widespread rainfall in Coastal Karnataka and parts of South Interior Karnataka on Monday, followed by light to moderate rain on Tuesday.

However, Bengaluru Urban district officials clarified that schools will remain open, despite calls from some parents for closures.


This persistent rain has left many regions reeling under its impact, with authorities urging caution and preparedness.

According to a report by TOI, the private schools' association stated that some parents have developed a habit of demanding holidays whenever it rains in Bengaluru. The report said that Shashi Kumar, General Secretary of the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka, said that if the rains become uncontrollable, the government will declare a holiday.

Several parents continue to demand school closures due to the persistent rainfall.

People took to social media platform X and reacted to the decision by the Urban District Administrator.