Tripura floods & landslides claim 22 lives, affect 1.7 million people
The deluge has caused significant damage to housing, infrastructure, roads, and agriculture across the state.
KATHMANDU: Over the past four days, heavy rainfall in the northeastern Indian state of Tripura has caused devastating floods and landslides, resulting in the deaths of at least 22 people, with two others reported missing, officials said on Friday.
According to the local revenue department, nearly 1.7 million people have been affected by the floods in Tripura.
The deluge has caused significant damage to housing, infrastructure, roads, and agriculture across the state.
Authorities have set up 450 relief camps, providing shelter to over 65,000 people displaced by the disaster.
Water levels in the state’s rivers remain high, severely impacting the districts of Gomati, South Tripura, Unakoti, and West Tripura, local officials reported.
Preliminary reports indicate widespread damage to physical infrastructure and agricultural crops, according to senior local official Brijesh Pandey.
All India Radio reported that the continuous downpour over the past four days has inflicted serious damage on the agriculture and energy sectors in Tripura.
The local government, in coordination with the Indian Air Force, has deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to assist with rescue and relief efforts in the flood-hit areas.
Flooding has also disrupted rail services from Tripura’s capital, Agartala, and telecommunications have been cut off in the worst-affected districts of Gomati, South Tripura, and others.
Educational institutions in the affected areas have been closed until further notice.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has issued a ‘Red Alert’ warning for heavy rainfall in several parts of Tripura.
