Baripada, July 26 (UDN):All government and private schools, along with Anganwadi centres, across Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district will remain closed on Monday (July 27) following a red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall.

The closure was ordered by Mayurbhanj Collector as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students in view of the deteriorating weather conditions caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal, which is expected to intensify.

The order covers students from Class I to Class XII studying in both government and private educational institutions, besides all Anganwadi centres operating in the district.

Despite the suspension of classes, headmasters, headmistresses, principals and teachers have been instructed to report for duty as usual. School authorities have been asked to immediately inform students and parents about the closure through available communication channels, including WhatsApp groups, phone calls and SMS, to ensure that no student travels to school.

The district administration said the decision was taken after the IMD forecast extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Mayurbhanj under the influence of the weather system over the Bay of Bengal.

Meanwhile, Jagatsinghpur district has also announced the closure of all government and private schools on Monday due to the heavy rain forecast.

Authorities have advised residents in vulnerable and low-lying areas to remain alert, avoid unnecessary travel during periods of intense rainfall and follow official advisories issued by the district administration.