Sri Lanka shuts schools as Cyclone Mandous raises pollution

Colombo [Sri Lanka], December 9 : Sri Lanka shut down schools due to high air pollution levels as Cyclone Mandous passed by its coast, raising strong winds and rain.
According to Al Jazeera, in Sri Lanka's Capital Colombo, and many other cities, the sky turned blue with sporadic rain. The health authorities advised children and elderly people to stay indoors.
Notably, the weather forecast in Sri Lanka forecasted that there could be heavy showers over 100mm in Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, and Maha Illuppallama areas, according to Daily Mirror.
Moreover, showers could be expected in the Sabaragamuwa Province and in Galle, Matara, Anuradhapura, and Trincomalee districts, Western and North-Western Provinces, and Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy districts.
The country experiences adverse weather conditions due to the impact of the cyclonic storm "Mandous," reported Daily Mirror.
Meanwhile, in India, Tamil Nadu's three districts were given a red alert, informed officials. The districts that are on alert include Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Kancheepuram.
"It is very likely to maintain its intensity of Severe Cyclonic Storm till early morning of today, December 9, and then weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm thereafter. It would continue to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamilnadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota around Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph during midnight of today, the 09th December to early hours of 10th December," read an official statement by India Meteorological Department.
The officials also informed that under the cyclone's influence most places over the north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are likely to have heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places.
Cyclone will continue to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota around Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph during midnight, informed officials.
"It is likely to reduce to Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over north Tamil Nadu on 10th December 2022," added the statement.
Looking at the adverse weather due to cyclone Mandous, Chennai airport informed that a total of 13 flights arriving from and departing to various locations were canceled.
The officials also advised the general masses to check with the concerned airlines in view of the flights affected due to the extreme weather conditions.
"Kindly take note of the Flight cancellations at Chennai Intl Airport on 09.12.2022 due to adverse weather conditions forecasted. Passengers are requested to check with the concerned airline(s) for further updates. #Chennai #MandousCyclone #Mandous@AAI_Official@pibchennai," tweeted the Chennai (MAA) Airport.