Guwahati: Tripura government on Friday said the state was witnessing the worst flood since 1983 with the deluge and landslides already claiming 24 lives. Two more persons are missing.
Three columns of army, 11 teams of NDRF personnel and four MI-17 helicopters were used to rescue the marooned persons and air drop food items, mainly in Gomati and South Tripura districts. Gomati, South Tripura and Unakoti were the worst affected districts.
Agriculture minister and government spokesperson, Ratan Lal told reporters at Agaratala on Friday that the state reported 538.7mm rainfall till August 21, which was 151 per cent more than the normal rainfall. "Only on August 20 and 21, rainfall of 333mm was recorded in Agartala. The rainfall and the flood situation is worse than the serious floods we witnessed in 1983. The situation is unprecedented," he said.
South Tripura district witnessed the highest of 981.1mm rainfall against normal rainfall of 252.8mm followed by 656.6mm in Gomati (against normal of 196.6mm), West Tripura (137 per cent more), Sepahijala (92 per cent more), Khowai (150 per cent more), Dhalai (163 per cent more), Tripura North (58 per cent more) and Unakoti (89 per cent more), Nath said. "We never expected such heavy rainfall," he said.
The minister said agriculture was the worst affected as 68,826 hectares of paddy were fully or partly damaged.
"The estimated value of agricultural loss due to the flood is Rs. 532.25 crores so far. The jhum paddy was almost ready for harvest but about 4,000 hectares were damaged due to flood and heavy rains. The amount of loss will be more as a large swathe of paddy fields are still submerged," Nath said. The estimated loss of the horticulture sector is about Rs. 167 crores, he said.
"Power supply has been severely affected as many transformers have been damaged or washed away," he said.
Chief Ministr Mank Saha on Friday made an aerial survey and visits of one of the worst-hit Khailpara in Gomati and Bokafa in South Tripura district. "The situation slightly improved as there was less rainfall (highest 17mm at Sonamura) in the past 24-hours. Water level of rivers on Friday were below the danger level in all rivers except Gomati at Sonamura," said a bulletin issued on Friday evening.
It said 1.28 lakh people have been provided shelters in 558 relief camps. The IMD forecasted light to moderate rainfall in the next 48-hours bringing hope of further improvement in the flood situation.