Thrissur (Kerala) | A rain holiday declared by the district collector on Wednesday prevented a potential accident after the ceiling of a government school hall collapsed in the early hours at Kodali, in this central district.

The gypsum board ceiling of the main hall at Kodali Government Lower Primary School collapsed suddenly. However, no injuries were reported as the school was closed due to the rain holiday, officials said.

Parents and residents, who staged a protest at the school premises, said the hall was routinely used for morning assembly and daily activities.

"Teachers used to make children sit in this hall before sending them to classrooms. If there hadn't been a holiday today and this had happened during school hours, the consequences would have been unimaginable," a parent said.

Local Congress and BJP workers also held demonstrations, alleging that "large-scale corruption and unscientific construction" led to the collapse.

They blocked officials of the construction firm that built the hall two years ago using MLA funds.

"If there were no holiday, what would have happened?" a protester asked while speaking to a television channel.

The incident took place a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed officials to submit a list of dilapidated school and hospital buildings across the state.