Chennai, Nov 1 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday directed officials to set up inter-zonal teams to regularly monitor the weather, and to evacuate people from low-lying areas in view of the heavy rains that have been lashing many parts of the state. including Chennai.

Chairing a meeting with top officials including Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and others, he also spoke to 21 District Collectors through video conferencing and directed them to continuously monitor the developments.

He also directed the District Collectors to keep the rescue teams ready and waiting for any eventuality and also called upon educational institutions and oil companies to also gear up for any possibilities in the wake of the IMD warning of heavy rains across the state.

A statement from the state government said that the Chief Minister has directed officials to evacuate people from low-lying areas and to shift them to relief centres and provide food and other essentials. Stalin also told officials to give preference to old people, women, children, and the disabled during the evacuation.

He also told District Collectors to safely store the procured paddy in the direct procurement centres in their respective districts, and called on Health Department officials to hold medical camps to prevent any communicable disease breakout.

Stalin also directed respective district administrations to remove old and weak compound walls. A woman, identified as Shanthi, 47, died on Tuesday morning after the compound wall at her home fell on her during heavy rains.

The Chief Minister also directed officials to take precautionary steps in areas prone to landslips and rock slides. He called upon officials to create awareness of lighting and thunder and the loss of lives in them.

Stalin called upon people to drink boiled water always, to prevent themselves from communicable diseases, handle electric equipment with care, and to support the measures taken by the government to prevent damage during heavy rains.

Ministers S. Duraimurugan, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, P.K. Sekar Babu, and K.N. Nehru were present at the secretariat with the Chief Minister during the meeting with officials.