CHENNAI: Various steps have been taken as a precautionary measure to tackle a flood situation, RB Udhayakumar, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management has said.
He told presspersons that the Central Water Commission (CWC) had warned on August 9 that precautionary measures should be taken in the districts as around one lakh cusecs would be released from Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagara dams as Kerala and Karnataka were receiving heavy rain.
Following this, a detailed circular about the various precautionary measures had been sent to the district administration of Dharmapuri, Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts” he said.
He said the general public had been told not to swim, fish and carry on other activities in Cauvery branch canals, residents staying in low-lying areas should move to safer places and parents had been asked not to allow their children to take bath in rivers and play on river banks. Cattle should be tied at safe places.
The local administration had been requested to instal proper warning boards at causeways.
District Collectors had been instructed to take steps to accommodate affected people in flood relief camps.
359 residents of Salem, Erode and Namakkal had been moved to four flood relief camps. Inter-departmental zonal teams were involved in monitoring.