Jaipur, Aug 28 : In view of heavy rainfall and waterlogging in Jodhpur, the district administration has declared a holiday for students in all educational institutions, including schools and colleges, on Thursday.

District Collector Gaurav Agarwal issued the order late Wednesday under Sections 30 and 34 of the Disaster Management Act 2005.

The decision follows heavy rainfall on August 27, which caused severe waterlogging in several areas.

According to the Meteorological Department, moderate to heavy rainfall is also expected in the coming hours, which could further aggravate the situation.

As per the order, all government and private schools, coaching institutes, and Anganwadi centres will remain closed for students.

However, teachers, officers, and staff members are required to attend and perform their scheduled duties as usual. The administration has urged parents to avoid sending children outdoors unnecessarily and to take all necessary precautions to ensure safety during the ongoing rain and waterlogging.

Copies of the Collector's order have been circulated to the Divisional Commissioner, CEO of the District Council, Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department, Chief District Education Officer, subdivision officers, tehsildars, and Civil Defence officials. They have been instructed to comply with the order and remain on alert strictly.

Rajasthan has witnessed an exceptionally heavy monsoon this year, recording 528.60 mm of rainfall so far, which is 53.33 per cent more than the normal average.

In view of the situation, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has directed large-scale relief and rescue operations in areas affected by flooding.

So far, 792 people have been rescued safely across the state, said officials on Thursday.

On Thursday, light to moderate rain is likely in several districts, while parts of southern Rajasthan may experience moderate to heavy downpours.

The weather department has predicted that rain activity will intensify from August 29 to 30, particularly in Kota and Udaipur divisions, where heavy rain is expected at isolated places. Also, parts of the Jodhpur and Bikaner divisions may witness moderate to heavy rainfall.

/IANS