Cyclone Sitrang: Heavy rains damage houses, uproot trees in Assam

Several houses were damaged due to Cyclone Sitrang which caused heavy rainfall and a storm in the Nagaon district of Assam.

Numerous trees and electric poles were also uprooted in various parts of the region due to the cyclonic storm on Monday night.

As per reports, several houses in the Kaliabor, Bamuni, Sakmuthia tea estate, and Boraligaon areas of the central Assam district have been damaged due to the storm.

No casualties due to the storm have been reported so far in the area.

"Several houses were damaged and many trees uprooted in the storm in our Kaliabor area. As a government village headman, I have visited the entire village and I will submit the damage report to our Circle Officer," said the village headman

Meanwhile, the tides have hit the coast of Bakkhali beach in South 24 Parganas in West Bengal amid the cyclone 'Sitrang' alert.

The Civil defence is alerting the tourists and locals not to venture near the sea.

Notably, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday informed that the remnant of the cyclonic storm "Sitrang" which created a deep depression over Bangladesh has further weakened into a depression over northeast Bangladesh, north-northeast of Agartala and south-southwest of Shillong.

"Deep Depression over Bangladesh (Remnant of Cyclonic Storm "SITRANG") further weakened into a Depression and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST of over northeast Bangladesh and neighbourhood about 90 km north-northeast of Agartala, and 100 km south-southwest of Shillong," the IMD tweeted.

Earlier on Monday, a red alert indicating heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall under the influence of Cyclone Sitrang was issued for Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura.

Widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rain at isolated places is likely to occur over Tripura on Monday and Tuesday, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday.

Civil defence teams are deployed at Bakkhali Sea Beach in South 24 Parganas. Tourists are not allowed to visit the beach and the shops have also been closed.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday appealed to the people to "stay alert" as there is a high chance of rain on Tuesday due to cyclone Sitrang.

"There is a high chance of rain on October 25. There is an appeal to the people to avoid going out unnecessarily or to the sea areas including the Sundarbans. The state govt has made arrangements," CM Mamata Banerjee said.