Heavy rains in Tripura claim 22 lives, thousands seek shelter
At least 22 people have died, and two are missing in Tripura due to continuous rainfall and landslides over the past few days, officials reported. Around 65,400 residents have sought refuge in 450 relief camps across the state after their homes were damaged by the heavy downpour. Ten people were buried under debris in the Ashwani Tripura Para and Debipur areas of Santirbazar, according to a Facebook post by Chief Minister Manik Saha.
Compensation announced for victims' families
"I convey my deepest condolence to the families of the victims. This is an irreparable loss. The state government has announced payment of ₹4 lakh to each victim's family as financial assistance," he said. Notably, the India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of Tripura on Thursday and Friday. Due to the adverse weather conditions, all educational institutions in the state will be closed on Friday, according to an official order.
Extensive damage to infrastructure, crops, houses
Separately, Brijesh Pandey, secretary of the Revenue Department, earlier said that 12 people had died due to heavy rainfall in the northeastern state. "So far, 12 people have lost lives, and two are missing. Preliminary reports suggest extensive damage to infrastructure, crops, houses, and livestock. The actual figures will be known after a field assessment is conducted," he mentioned during a press conference.
17 lakh people affected in Tripura
Approximately 17 lakh people have been affected in Tripura, reports said. Pandey stated that landslides occurred in 2,032 locations, with 1,789 already cleared, and restoration efforts ongoing at the remaining sites. "Erosion to roads occurred at 1,952 locations," he added. The central government has deployed two helicopters to rescue stranded individuals in Gomati and South Tripura districts. The Assam Rifles have evacuated over 750 people across the state, leading relief efforts.
Rivers swell in Tripura
Riflewomen of Assam Rifles are leading the relief and rescue efforts in the state, deploying four rescue columns in areas like East Kanchanbari, Kumarghat, Unakoti, Amarpur, Bishalgarh, Sepahijala, and Tripura West. Heavy rainfall has caused flooding, with the Gomati River overflowing and rivers in six locations exceeding danger levels. The state has recorded significant rainfall, including 493.6mm in South Tripura (Bogafa), 293.4mm in Sepahijala (Sonamura), 233mm in West Tripura (Agartala), and 155mm in Gomati (Udaipur).
