Tripura flood situation remains grim, more NDRF teams deployed

Agartala, Aug 22 (IANS) The flood situation in Tripura remained grim on Thursday and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) continued its red alert for all eight districts, officials said, adding that more NDRF teams have been deployed.

Disaster Management Department officials said that though there were no fresh casualties due to the rain, landslides and floods, around 40,000 people are taking shelter in 335 relief camps in all eight districts.

Till Wednesday, 10 deaths, including a 12-year-old girl and a woman, and one person missing were reported from South Tripura, Gomati, and Khowai districts.

Chief Minister Manik Saha, who is supervising the flood situation and disaster management, spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the second day on Thursday and apprised him of the prevailing scenario.

Home Minister Shah said in a post on the X, “Spoke with CM Tripura, Dr Manik Saha Ji, and took stock of the flood situation in the state. The Centre is rushing teams of NDRF, apart from boats and helicopters, to the state to assist the local government in relief and rescue operations. Assured of all possible assistance from the Centre as and when required. The Modi government firmly stands with our sisters and brothers in Tripura during this hour of crisis.”

Later the Chief Minister expressing his gratitude to the Home Minister said that HM Shah informed him that 11 NDRF teams would be sent to Tripura from different locations in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

He said arrangements would also be made for choppers to airlift the stranded people in the flood-affected areas.

“More number of boats would also be sent along with the NDRF teams. The entire state government machinery has been working round the clock to tackle the unprecedented natural calamity. I thank public representatives, social workers and the people at large for cooperating with the state government at this hour of crisis,” CM Saha said.

Following the directions of the state government, due to the heavy rain and flooding, all educational institutions remained closed since Wednesday.

An India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said that though a heavy to very heavy rainfall alert has been continued and a red alert has been sounded in all eight districts, the rainfall is likely to reduce slightly from Thursday evening.

“The low pressure area over north Bangladesh and neighbourhood persisted over the same region on Thursday. The associated cyclonic circulation now extends up to 9.4 km above mean sea level. It is likely to move nearly westwards across West Bengal during the next 48 hours. Additionally, a cyclonic circulation is likely to form over North Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood on August 24,” the official said.

The IMD recorded 233 mm rainfall from 8.30 a.m. on August 21 to till 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.

According to Disaster Management Department officials over 1,055 houses were damaged either fully or partially and hundreds of trees were uprooted blocking many important highways.

Water Resource Department officials said that most of the prominent rivers in Tripura are either flowing above critical or danger levels while the state’s main river Gomati has crossed the ‘extreme danger level’ in many places of Gomati and Sepahijala districts, as rainfall has continued.

A large number of human habitations, urban and rural areas and many important highways have been inundated due to the floods while crops and other important assets were damaged in huge areas in all eight districts.

The Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) has cancelled 10 local trains in Tripura.

An NFR spokesman said that due to heavy rain railway tracks were damaged in Gomati district, forcing the authorities to cancel these trains.

A defence spokesman said that following the requisition from state administrations, four columns of Assam Rifles were deployed in different districts and they are working in close coordination with civil administration to rescue civilians stranded due to floods.

First aid and essential items have been distributed by the Assam Rifles to hundreds of stranded people and those in relief camps.

–IANS

sc/dpb