Cyclone Sitrang left a devastating train it its wake across the state. The cyclone hit with its full fury at 1 am on October 24-25 night with terrific windspeed and blew away many house roofs, uprooted many trees and electric poles and damaged dwellings on its path. The Sitrang was however did not bring along ‘very heavy’ or ‘extremely very heavy’ rains as predicted by the IMD or the devastation would have been worst with riverside dwellings, , low lying areas and city hearts being inundated by local flooding and waterlogging. The standing crops would have also been damaged.
The apprehension of impending Cyclone had already dampened the Diwali mood and the celebrations were virtually abandoned following the government’s warning and awareness campaign following IMD sounded alarm over the Cyclone Sitrang’s ominous movement towards Tripura apart from that day long drizzling.
In West Tripura at least three Kalipua pandals were blown away and idols were damaged by the cyclone.
According to official data , across the state worst affected district for the Sitrang was Sepahijala district as over 200 houses were damaged on Monday. According to a government press release, seven houses in Sepahijala district were fully damaged while 52 houses were ‘severely’ and 154 houses were ‘partly’ damaged – total 213 houses were affected.
Out of the three subdivisions – Bishalgarh, Sonamura and Jampuijala – under the district, Bishalgarh sub-division was the worst affected as 86 houses were partly damaged while 32 houses and seven houses were ‘severely’ and fully damaged.
In Sonamura sub-division, Cyclone Sitarng damaged 68 houses ‘partly’ and 16 houses ‘Severely’, as per the government press release. Sources said financial compensation of Rs 5000 was handed over to three affected families by the Sonamura sub-divisional administration.
In Santirbazar sub-division under the South district total 3700 persons from 24 villages were affected. Cropped areas were also damaged and 35 houses were damaged.
In the West district, seven houses were ‘severely’ damaged and 94 houses were partly damaged. Total 28 houses were fully damaged while 113 houses were‘ severely’ and 393 houses were ‘partly’ damaged across the State. Total Rs 3.16 lakh financial assistance was distributed among 19 families.
The electric supply system suffered blows as 45 transformers were damaged. In a press conference, MD of TSECL Debashish Sarkar also said, total 231 HT poles and 342 LT poles were uprooted across the State causing a loss of total Rs 1.5 crore. However, the TSECL staff were pressed into service for restoring the normalcy in the power supply.
(With support from Tripura Times)
