Heavy rains have triggered devastating floods and landslides in Tripura, killing at least 23 people and displacing more than 65,000 residents, authorities reported on Friday.
Television footage captured scenes of army personnel navigating ferry boats through waterlogged streets, where cars and buses lay stuck. The widespread flooding has forced nearly 1.7 million people have been affected and there are over 450 relief camps across the state, Hindustan Times reports.
Significant damage to infrastructure, crops, and livestock has been reported, worsening the distress of those affected. Most fatalities resulted from landslides, with some deaths caused by the collapse of mud walls and drowning.
According to disaster management officials, four days of relentless rain have caused rivers to swell, submerging large area.
The Indian Army has deployed over 80 personnel, who have rescued 334 people stranded by the rising floodwaters.
Agartala, the capital city, has been severely affected, with more than 80% of the area submerged, Times of India reports. After the city received 233mm of rainfall on Wednesday, water could not be pumped out as the Haora River was overflowing.
Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder noted that water from both the Haora and Kathakhal rivers had flowed back into the city, breaching embankments.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the advance release of Rs40 crore to assist the state in its relief and rehabilitation efforts. Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha has also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs4 lakh to the families of the victims.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Tripura, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall continuing until Saturday. Tripura is currently experiencing its worst floods since 1956, with the combination of heavy rains and reverse water flow creating havoc.