Chief Minister M.K. Stalin chaired a meeting in the Secretariat in Chennai on Thursday to review the precautionary measures being taken to face heavy rain, predicted in various parts of the State.
During the meeting, he also reviewed the arrangements being made in many districts in view of the release of surplus water from Mettur dam. The Chief Minister also interacted with Collectors of Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Erode, Karur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Namakkal, Salem, Thanjavur, Tiruchi, Tiruppur and Tiruvarur districts.
Messages under the Common Alert Protocol have been issued to over 21.87 lakh mobile phones, warning about surplus water being released in Mettur and Vaigai dams. The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure availability of machinery for rescue operations, if any.
“In case of loss of crops due to heavy rain, the Chief Minister instructed officials to ascertain the loss at the earliest. He also advised Ministers to personally visit the affected districts,” an official release said.
Fishermen are also to be alerted about the inclement weather predicted till August 6. The State Emergency Operations Centre could be reached at 1070, 1077 and also through WhatsApp at 9445869848.
Since the onset of the Southwest monsoon, Tamil Nadu has received 249.5 mm rain between June 1 and August 3, 97% higher than the usual rain received during this period every year, the release said.
Coimbatore (45.07 mm), Tiruvarur (26.22 mm) and Krishnagiri (17.01 mm) are the top three districts, which received heavy rain in the last 24 hours. Rain gauges in Chinnakallar, Valparai and Valparai Taluk office in Coimbatore district recorded 142mm, 122mm and 121 mm of rain respectively.
Officers deputed
In view of the heavy rain predicted in the Nilgiris, Erode and Krishnagiri, District Monitoring Officers have been deputed to these places. Three teams of State Disaster Response Force have been deputed to Kanniyakumari, Coimbatore and the Nilgiris. Two teams from the National Disaster Response Force have been positioned in the Nilgiris.
Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu and senior officials were present in the meeting.
