Tripura Floods: Over 17 lakh Affected, 65,400 Seek Shelter, Death Toll Reaches 14

Agartala: Severe floods in Tripura, which started on August 19, have affected more than 17 lakh people, with 65,400 individuals seeking refuge in relief camps. The death toll has risen to 14.

Revenue Secretary Brijesh Pandey reported that continuous heavy rainfall over the past four days has critically elevated river levels across the state. Notably, Tripura recorded its highest rainfall in the last 24 hours on August 22, particularly in South Tripura District (Bogafa: 493.6 mm), Sepahijala District (Sonamura: 293.4 mm), West Tripura District (Agartala: 233 mm), and Gomati District (Udaipur: 155 mm).

"The entire state is grappling with the flood's impact, with Gomati, South Tripura, Unakoti, and West Tripura Districts bearing the brunt," said Pandey, describing the situation as unprecedented and under close government monitoring.

Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha conducted a review meeting today to assess ongoing relief efforts, attended by senior officials including the Chief Secretary and Disaster Management Secretary. State authorities are collaborating with central agencies like the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Indian Air Force, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to manage the disaster.

River levels have exceeded the danger mark at six locations in Dhalai, Khowai, South Tripura, West Tripura, North Tripura, and Unakoti Districts. Since August 19, district authorities have established 450 relief camps accommodating over 65,400 people. Essential supplies such as food, water, and medical aid are being distributed at these camps. Various departments including Rural Development, Water Resources, Power, PWD, Forest, Police, Fire Services, and Paramilitary Forces are engaged in round-the-clock relief operations.

Pandey confirmed 14 fatalities, with two individuals still missing. The Relief, Rehabilitation, and Disaster Management Department reported substantial infrastructure damage, including 844 poles, 151 transformers, 310 kilometers of conductors, and two substations. Landslides have occurred at 2,032 sites, with clearance efforts ongoing for 1,789 sites. Of the 1,952 road erosion locations, 579 have been repaired, with 153 bulldozers deployed to clear debris. Despite continuous rainfall disruptions, around 200 field engineers are actively restoring services. Bus and railway services have been suspended from Chandrapur, Nagerjala, and Radhanagar.

Preliminary estimates indicate significant agricultural losses, with 5,000 hectares of vegetables and 1.20 lakh hectares of paddy fields submerged.

To aid rescue operations, Tripura has deployed 26 teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and four teams from the NDRF across affected districts. An additional four NDRF teams, comprising 120 personnel airlifted from Arunachal Pradesh, are assisting in Gomati, West Tripura, and Sepahijala Districts. Over 2,000 volunteers from Civil Defense and Aapda Mitra are supporting relief efforts. The central government has also provided two helicopters for rescues and food drops in Gomati and South Tripura districts.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the entire state today, with forecasts of heavy to very heavy rainfall, extending into specific districts tomorrow.