GUWAHATI: Cyclone Remal in Assam has left four persons dead and more than 18 injured besides disrupting power supply and road communication in 14 districts of the state since May 27.
Due to Cyclone Remal entering Assam and the Northeast from the north of the Bay of Bengal, and the occurrence of heavy rain and cyclone, as warnings issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), normal life in the state has been affected in the last 24 hours.
“Till now, three persons have died in the storm in the last 24 hours (1 in Morigaon, 1 in Kamrup and 1 in Kamrup Metro),” an official report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said.
A student of class XI of Gurukul Academy of Morigaon, Koushik Amfi lost his life after a huge tree uprooted and fell on the auto-rickshaw in which he was going to his school on Tuesday, May 28.
The incident took place at Dighalbori's Mela Hali under the Bhurbandha block at around 8 am. He was going from Dhupguri under Laharighat block in an auto-rickshaw around 8 am.
A 60-year-old woman identified as Lavanya Kumari died as an uprooted tree fell on her at Rajapukhuri village under the Palashbari assembly constituency in Kamrup district on Tuesday morning. She was immediately shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where she succumbed to her injuries.
In Guwahati, a 20-year-old youth Mintu Talukdar died when a tree fell on their house at Nabajyoti Nagar, Byelane No 4 Hill side at around 2 am on Tuesday. His father Bibek Talukdar (54) was also injured in the incident. The area falls under Forest Land under Satgaon Police Station.
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A 22-year-old youth was also injured in a storm-related incident at Borbari in the city. He has been shifted to hospital. In Dhekiajuli, a serious incident occurred when a tree was uprooted by strong winds and fell on a bus of St Ursula Public School. One student and the driver were injured seriously in the incident. Other students on the bus managed to escape unhurt.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, currently in Odisha, spoke to chief secretary Ravi Kota to assess the situation and directed close monitoring of relief, rehabilitation and precautionary measures. The chief minister has expressed his shock and deep sorrow over the loss of lives of Kaushik Amphi in Morigaon district and Putul Gogoi, a worker at the NHPC project in Gerukamukh, who died in a landslide at the site.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to ensure all necessary assistance to the affected families and timely treatment for the injured. As per the chief minister's direction, the chief secretary held a video conference with the district commissioners and the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), in the presence of the Director General of Police, at 5:30 pm on Tuesday to assess the situation and monitor precautionary measures across the state.
Flight operation has been disrupted in the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) due to the cyclonic storm on Tuesday. The situation has forced the LGBIA authority to cancel several flights for the day due to adverse weather conditions at the destination airports.
The affected Indigo flights include 6E-6942 and 6E-6955 between Aizawl and Guwahati, 6E-262 and 6E-263 between Guwahati and Silchar, and 6E-457 and 6E-316 between Guwahati and Aizawl. Similarly, Alliance Air flights 9i-757 and 9i-758 between Kolkata and Guwahati, as well as 9i-783 and 9i-784 between Guwahati and Aizawl, have also been cancelled.
As the IMD predicted more rain and storms, all schools and other educational institutes have been closed in Nagaon, Hojai, West Karbi Anglong, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat and Dima Hasao on Wednesday.
SDRF, Fire Service, Police, APDCL, Health and Forest officials are on high alert and engaged in restorative efforts. Flash floods have been reported in parts of Karimganj district, prompting the district administration to remain on high alert.
As per the IMD bulletin, a forecast for extremely heavy rainfall has been issued over Assam along with other Northeastern states on May 28.
An orange alert has been issued for Tamulpur, Barpeta, Nalbari and a red alert for Chirang, Baksa, Dima Hasao & Cachar districts. Squally winds of 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph are likely over South Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura on May 28.
In the last 24 hours, 14 districts viz. Bongaigaon, Chirang, Darrang, Dhubri, Hojai, Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Karbi Anglong, Kokrajhar, Morigaon, Nagaon, Sonitpur, South-Salmara, west Karbi-Anglong district have reported storm.
A total of 51 revenue circles have been reported to be impacted by storm incidents till the time of this report. NDRF, SDRF, Fire & ES personnel, Police forces, AAPDA Mitra Volunteers of ASDMA have been helping the district administration in storm-affected areas to undertake clearance of uprooted trees/branches fallen in roads/highways.
“The depression (remnant of Cyclonic Storm “Remal”) over northeast Bangladesh and adjoining Meghalaya moved nearly northeast wards during past six hours and weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over northeast Assam & neighbourhood at 17.30 hours IST of May 28,” said Dr Sanjay O’Neil shaw, DDG, RMC, IMD, Guwahati.
“The system is likely to move northeast wards and weaken further during the next 12 hours.” Dr Shaw added.