Tamil Nadu’s electricity department has issued a monsoon safety advisory urging residents to avoid snapped power wires, electric poles, transformers and waterlogged areas, while taking specific precautions during lightning and thunderstorms.
The department said people should not approach or touch snapped electricity conductors lying on roads, streets or stagnant water. Residents who spot a broken wire have been asked to inform the electricity board, alert neighbours and keep away from the area until it is made safe.
The advisory also asks people to avoid standing in open spaces, under trees or near windows during lightning. Residents have been told to switch off electrical appliances and wired telephones during lightning and thunder, and not to operate electrical equipment with moist hands.
The department cautioned people against entering waterlogged areas near pillar boxes and electrical switchboards. It also asked households to ensure that the main electrical supply can be switched off quickly and to turn off the mains in the event of a short circuit.
For those caught outdoors during lightning and thunder, the department advised seeking shelter inside a large building or a metal-topped vehicle such as a car or bus. Where no shelter is available, people should find a low spot away from trees, power lines, poles and metal fences.
The guidance includes precautions for homes and other buildings. Windows located near plug points should be closed during showers, and residents should avoid standing near open windows or doors during thunder and lightning. The department also advised installing switches and plug sockets at heights inaccessible to children.
It asked people not to install switches inside bathrooms or other wet locations. Residents were also told not to tie livestock to electric poles and to stay away from transformers, pillar boxes, electrical poles, stay wires and fencing.
The advisory places particular emphasis on the risks created when rainwater and electrical infrastructure meet. Stagnant water can conceal damaged wires or bring residents close to live electrical equipment, making areas around switchboards, pillar boxes and poles especially hazardous during heavy showers.
The department’s instructions also make residents part of the immediate safety response: anyone finding a snapped conductor should report it, warn others and avoid attempting to move or handle it. The department’s press note did not specify a separate emergency contact number or provide details of any new response mechanism.
The electricity department’s next step, according to the advisory, is continued public caution during the monsoon, with residents expected to report damaged conductors and follow the stated precautions around electrical infrastructure.
