Cote d'Ivoire government has taken "preventive and operational" measures to limit destruction of property and loss of lives during the current rainy season, the ministry of hygiene said Monday.

Hygiene Minister Anne Desiree Ouloto said the government had cleared people from high risk zones to minimize the effects of torrential rains.

The government has equally carried out an awareness campaign, besides clearing the drainage system as well as reinforcing the capacity of fire-fighters.

Ouloto urged everyone who lives in flood-prone areas as well as those living around hills to follow all instructions from state officials and vacate to safer zones.

The minister said it was the government's wish that during this year's rainy season, there will be no loss of lives in Abidjan and interior of the country.

For the last few days, Cote d'Ivoire has been receiving high amounts of rainfall, signalling the start of the rainy season which is always accompanied by heavy losses in terms of lives and property.

In previous years, torrential rains caused flooding and landslides, leaving many people dead in Abidjan and interior of the country.  

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2016)