Bhubaneswar: School holidays in seven Odisha districts are likely to be extended by another one or two days if heavy rainfall continues to disrupt normal life, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond said Thursday.
Schools in the affected districts have already been closed for two days following decisions by the respective district collectors based on local weather conditions. Any further closure will depend on the situation in each district, Gond added.
The possibility of extending the holidays comes as heavy rain continues to affect several parts of the state, with authorities closely monitoring the situation.
Gond said the government was also assessing the impact of repeated school closures on students’ academic schedules. If required, additional classes will be arranged to cover lessons missed during the disruption, he said.
Heavy rainfall has been triggered by a deep depression that made landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh Thursday, bringing heavy rain to parts of Odisha.
The depression is expected to enter Odisha near Koraput on Thursday evening, according to the India Meteorological Department. The IMD has forecast continued rainfall over the next two days and warned of increasing rainfall intensity.
Amid concerns over possible flooding and landslides in parts of southern Odisha, the state government has deployed two senior ministers to oversee preparedness and response measures in the region.