Lightning kills 2 men in Tripura amid nor’westers; hundreds of houses damaged

Shyamal died after he was struck by lightning while collecting latex in a rubber plantation. He was rushed to the Tripurasundari District Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

A huge tree at the entrance of Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital in Agartala was uprooted. It was later removed by emergency service personnel. Prolonged power cuts were also reported from different parts of the state during the thunderstorms.

Nor’westers, strong northwest winds, involve rainfall and thunderstorms and occur during summer in eastern India.

Farmers complained about huge crop losses, especially in Kailashahar and adjoining areas in Dhalai district. Pumpkin, green chillies, gourds and other seasonal vegetable crops were badly affected, farmers from Samrurpaar gram panchayat and adjoining areas said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said 24mm rainfall was recorded across the state and the temperature ranged between 31.4 degrees Celsius and 20.1 degrees Celsius.

The department has predicted thunderstorms and gusty winds with speed reaching 30-40 km per hour at isolated places in all districts. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 34 degrees Celsius and 23 degree Celsius on April 1.

Four fishermen were killed after their makeshift platform collapsed amid raging nor’westers at the Dumboor lake in Dhalai district last week.

As many as 6,963 houses have been damaged across the state since March 1, with the Sepahijala and Khowai districts bearing most of the brunt of the nor’westers so far. The government has given Rs 71.51 lakh as immediate relief and moved seven families to a relief camp at Teliamura in Khowai.