In light of the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, schools in five districts of Jharkhand, including the capital Ranchi, will remain closed on Friday (June 20), an official said. All educational institutions in Ranchi, Khunti, and West Singhbhum districts have been ordered shut for the day, while schools in East Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan districts will suspend classes up to class 8 as a precautionary measure.
Ranchi and Khunti had already declared a school holiday on Thursday following continuous downpours that began on Wednesday. The IMD had already issued a 'red' alert (heavy to extremely heavy rainfall) for Ranchi from 8.30 am on Thursday to 8.30 am on Friday.
Ranchi DC orders school closure till June 20
The Ranchi district administration on Thursday decided to extend the holiday for one more day due to the forecast of heavy rainfall on Friday, he said. "In view of the possibility of heavy rainfall and for the safety of students, Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri has issued an order to keep all categories of schools in the district, from class KG to Class 12, closed on June 20," the notification said. In case of non-compliance, the concerned school will be held accountable under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, it stated.
All schools including government and private up to class 12 to remain closed in Khunti and West Singhbhum districts on Friday. East Singhbhum and Saraikela-Kharswan administrations on Thursday ordered all schools to suspend classes up to class 8 on Friday in view of heavy rain. Ranchi recorded 216.1 mm rainfall from 8.30 am on Wednesday to 5.30 am on Thursday.
Heavy rainfall in Jharkhand
It is to be noted here that heavy rainfall across Jharkhand left four people, including two schoolboys and a 10-year-old girl, dead in three places, besides causing infrastructural damage in several districts, officials said on Thursday. The southwest monsoon, which arrived in Jharkhand on Tuesday, covered the entire state on Wednesday, bringing widespread rainfall that is likely to continue across the state till June 20, an official said.
(With PTI inputs)