Karnataka Holidays: Schools And Colleges Shut In Kodagu's Madikeri, Virajpet & Somwarpet Amid Red Alert; Details Here

Karnataka School Holidays: Madikeri, Virajpet, and Somwarpet in Kodagu district, Karnataka, have seen extreme disruption to academic work as incessant showers lashed the area for many days. In response, District Commissioner Venkat Raja declared a holiday for all schools—including anganwadis, primary schools, high schools, and pre-university colleges — on Friday, July 18, 2025, due to incessant heavy rain and safety concerns.

ANI official X reads, "Karnataka | Holiday declared in schools and colleges in Madikeri, Virajpet and Somwarpet today, due to continuous heavy rain: Kodagu District Commissioner."

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), as issued by the Bengaluru Meteorological Centre, released a red alert warning: Kodagu would see "heavy rain with sustained winds of 40–50 km/h," and the conditions could become worse at isolated places. This warning was extended to neighbouring Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, and there were closures in these places as well.

Based on rainfall observations, Madikeri Kasaba hobli reported approximately 63 mm, Napoklu 60 mm, Sampaje 147 mm, and Bhagamandala 113 mm in 24 hours—amounts indicating possible landslides and flash floods. These amounts compounded initial concerns earlier in the week; for example, on July 17, schools were already shut when Madikeri reported over 60 mm of rainfall on a single day.

Kodagu, which is well known for its high mean annual rainfall—often over 3,000 mm—has been experiencing monsoonal extremes of late. South and North Kodagu low-lying villages of Surlabi, Galibeedu, Mukkodlu, and Shanthalli have witnessed landslides and power cuts.

The holiday order is meant to provide safety for students and staff, as well as enable the local authorities to conduct emergency assessments. With the monsoon at its strongest, weather agencies prompted residents and school communities to be on guard and ready for any additional cautionary measures.