Aizawl: All schools in Aizawl and Lunglei districts in the southern part of Mizoram remained shut on Tuesday in view of cyclone Sitrang, which is likely to cause widespread heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall over some northeastern states, including Mizoram.
Earlier, all district administrations in the state had issued advisories, asking people not to venture out to rivers on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as heavy rains accompanied by the cyclone can trigger flash floods.
The Aizawl and Lunglei district administrations in their notifications said that all schools from nursery to class 12 within the two districts have been declared closed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure because the cyclone situation has not improved and the weather condition in the state did not show any sign of improvement till Tuesday morning.
No other district has announced the closure of educational institutions till this report is filed.
Reports said that cyclone Sitrang lashed parts of densely populated Bangladesh on late Monday, killing at least seven people.
The death toll might go up as more casualties are being reported from other districts, the reports said.
Soon after it crossed Bangladesh, Sitrang weakened into a deep depression and is now moving towards the northeastern part of India.
Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert indicating heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall for Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura.
The IDM had said that heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall over the four northeastern states on Monday and Tuesday.
Mizoram state meteorological centre has also issued an alert that heavy to extremely heavy rainfall may hit the state on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
A cyclonic storm gusting at the speed of 45-65 kilometres per hour (Kmph) may also hit the state on Tuesday, the state meteorological centre said on Saturday.
District administrations have advised people to strengthen and repair fragile parts of their residents and ensure that drainages near human settlements are cleaned.
Official sources said that Aizawl and some other districts experienced rainfall of 27 mm on Monday and 25 mm till Tuesday morning.
Although heavy rainfall and gusty winds were experienced in some parts of the state, there were no reports of major disaster till Tuesday morning, an official of the state disaster management and rehabilitation department said.
All the flights at the lone Lengpui airport near the capital Aizawl city were cancelled on Monday due to poor visibility, according to state Principal Consultant for Civil Aviation wing commander Joe Lalhmingliana.
He said that the visibility in the area surrounding the airport on Monday was below minimum due to heavy rains.
Barring an Indigo flight (Guwahati to Aizawl route), no flight has been cancelled on Tuesday as of now, he said.
He said that further cancellation of flights is unlikely.