Chennai | Tamil Nadu received widespread rains across the state, with the southern districts recording heavy showers on Thursday, as the North East Monsoon intensified.

Following the heavy downpour and inundation, the administration in several districts, including four taluks in the Nilgiris district, besides Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore districts, declared a holiday for schools today.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), here, has forecast isolated heavy rainfall over the state.

Under the influence of a cyclonic circulation over the Southeast and adjoining East central Arabian Sea, a low pressure area was formed over East central Arabian Sea at 5.30 pm on November 8, and it is likely to move nearly westwards and become less marked over the same region during the next 24 hours, it said.

Kotagiri in Nilgiris district topped the tally with 228 mm rainfall.

Owing to continuous rains, landslides were reported at about five places on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway line, leading to the cancellation of the mountain train service. A landslide occurred at Kotagiri too, affecting the road traffic and, as a result, traffic was diverted via Coonoor to Mettupalayam.

According to the RMC, moderate thunderstorms occurred over Tenkasi, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai and Tiruvallur districts.

The Northeast Monsoon has been active throughout the state and Chennai and surrounding areas, too, received rainfall.