Udhagamandalam/Coimbatore: A 40-year-old woman became the first victim of the heavy rains as a huge tree fell on her while she was working in a tea estate in Gudalur in Nilgiris district on Monday, police said.
Sumathi was plucking tea leaves in an estate when the incident happened. She died on the spot, the police said.
Gudalur police have registered a case and begun investigations.
Normal life across the district was affected due to the continuous rains for the last few days, as more than 400 trees have got uprooted in Coonoor, Gudalur, Kothagiri, Kunda and Ooty and three houses collapsed in the rains, the police said.
About 150 tribals from two villages were taken to relief centre in Torapallali, they said.
Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ramachandran said the government machinery and district administration were working in full swing and taking up rescue operations. All necessary facilities are being provided to those in the relief centres, he said.
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The machinery is kept ready to cut trees posing a danger to people and houses, he said adding that as a preventive measure, the officials and staff from the departments of police, fire and rescue force, highway, and electricity board were directed to be ready for any eventualities.
Meanwhile, 1.40 lakh cusecs of water was discharged from Stanley Reservoir in Mettur Dam in Salem district, as there was heavy inflow to the dam, which has already crossed its capacity of 120 feet.
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With the heavy inflow, the quantity of discharge water may increase to 1.60 lakh cusecs and the people on the Cauvery river banks have been issued a flood alert to move to safer places, sources said.
A flood alert was sounded on the banks of the Bhavani River in Mettupalayam and Sirumugai in Coimbatore district, as nearly 23,000 cusecs of water was being discharged from Pilloor Dam, officials said.