Mumbai Rains: Schools, colleges shut on December 5 as Cyclone Ockhi closes in

Mumbai was hit with a fresh bout of rains on Monday evening as Cyclone Ockhi drew close

A holiday has been declared for all schools and colleges on December 5 in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Sindhudurga, Thane, Raigad and Palghar Districts. The precautionary measure follows moderate rains experienced across the city on Monday evening as Cyclone Ockhi drew in closer. 

Cyclone Ockhi closes in on Mumbai. Pic/AFP

The holiday was announced by Maharashtra's Minister for School Education, Higher and technical education. Tawde took to Twitter on Thursday and posted, "Precautionary holiday declared for schools and colleges in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Sindhudurga, Ratnagiri, Thane, Raigad and Palghar Districts for the safety of the students due to the serious weather predictions on #CycloneOckhi #MumbaiRains."

Precautionary holiday declared for schools and colleges in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Sindhudurga, Ratnagiri, Thane, Raigad and Palghar Districts for the safety of the students due to the serious weather predictions on #CycloneOckhi #MumbaiRains

— Vinod Tawde (@TawdeVinod) December 4, 2017

Mumbai was hit with a fresh bout of rains on Monday evening as Cyclone Ockhi drew close, with the southern and western parts of the city along with the suburbs witnessing a heavy downpour. 

Also read: Cyclone Ockhi: 600 Fishermen Rescued, 19 Reported Dead

The rainfall comes after a dry spell of over a month after the monsoon season ended. Moderate showers are expected to continue for the next day or two, resulting in a possible drop of the city's temperatures. The Cyclone is currently situated 670 km south-west of Mumbai and more than 800km South of Gujarat. 

According to weather reports, strong surface winds are expected to blow over the region, reaching speeds of up to 40-60 kmph. With the disastrous effects left behind by the cyclone on the coastal regions of Southern India, fisherman along the western coastline have been advised to remain cautious. 

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