As Tripura reels under rain fury, 11 more NDRF teams to join rescue operations

Chief Minister Saha, who announced the Union home minister’s assurance on social media, further wrote, “I thank public representatives, social workers and the people at large for cooperating with the State Government at this hour of crisis.”

As heavy showers continued, the Government closed all educational institutions in the state until further notice. Saha said that a formal notification in the regard would be issued shortly. Schools and colleges remained closed on Wednesday.

Authorities have urged people to move to relief camps and rescue teams have been instructed to evacuate people from low-lying areas.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Saha wrote that the water level in the Gomati river had crossed the extreme danger level. “The administration is working tirelessly to evacuate affected individuals to safe zones. I urge all those who may be affected by the flooding to please cooperate with the authorities and move to the shelter houses immediately. Your safety is our top priority,” he wrote.

Water in almost all rivers in the state is above the danger level.

Khowai, West Tripura, Gomati and South Tripura districts were the worst hit.

“We have been in trouble for three days. Most of our houses were flooded by rainwater. We don’t know what to do and where to go. We have domestic animals. Now we are going to the railway station for protection,” a local, riding a boat, at Udaipur was seen telling reporters.

“No floodgate opened’

Amid rampant rumours of floodgates being opened at the Dumboor dam and the Gumti hydroelectric power project site in Gomati district, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath clarified that excess water from the reservoir had automatically escaped through the spillway after crossing a mark.

“No gate of the Gumti hydroelectric project was opened. The reservoir’s capacity to hold water is up to 94 m. When water crosses this mark, it will automatically escape through the gate. When the water level comes down from 94 m in the reservoir, the gates will automatically close… Water is going out at a 509 per cent rate through one of the gates. There is no reason to be unnecessarily alarmed. The administration is aware of the entire situation. Requesting people in the concerned area to be alert,” Nath wrote on social media on Wednesday evening.

Red alert for all eight districts

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for all the eight districts. IMD officials said the rainfall was expected to come down from Thursday evening.

The officials said a low-pressure area over Bangladesh and neighbouring areas continued in the same region on Thursday while the associated cyclonic circulation was last seen extending up to 9.4 km above mean sea level.

In the 24 hours till Thursday morning, Agartala recorded 233 mm of rainfall, one of the highest the state capital has witnessed.

While the disaster management authority has not confirmed any new casualty, reports of seven people being injured in parts of South Tripura district came in the afternoon.

The Northeast Frontier Railways has cancelled 10 local trains moving inside the state following landslides.

Chief Minister Saha reviewed the situation and visited a few of the flood-hit areas. “Rescue operations underway! We’ve deployed an MI-17 helicopter to Amarpur to evacuate stranded persons. This is part of our sustained efforts to provide critical support & assistance to flood-affected areas. We’re committed to reaching those in need,” he wrote on social media.

Shortly before that, 120 NDRF personnel arrived at Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport.

Union Home Minister Shah wrote in an X post, “Spoke with CM Tripura, Dr Manik Saha Ji, and took stock of the flood situation in the state. The Centre is rushing teams of NDRF, apart from boats and helicopters, to the state to assist the local government in relief and rescue operations. Assured of all possible assistance from the Centre as and when required. The Modi government firmly stands with our sisters and brothers in Tripura during this hour of crisis.”

The Assam Rifles has deployed four columns of personnel for rescue operations.