By Firstdespatch Desk Aug 31, 2024
Agartala, Aug 31 (FD) Providing the latest updates on the flood situation in Tripura, the Secretary of the Revenue Department, Brijesh Pandey, announced today that for the first time in two weeks, the water level of the Gomati River at Sonamura has receded below the flood level. During a press conference at the Secretariat, he stated that the flood situation is being closely monitored at the highest level, with the entire state declared a “Natural Calamity Affected Area.”
So far, 32 people have lost their lives, two have been injured, and one person is reported missing. Of the 32 deaths, 19 were due to landslides, 12 from drowning, and 1 from a house collapse.
Pandey further informed that, as of now, 329 relief camps are operational across the state, providing shelter to approximately 17,939 people. In the last 24 hours, 34,967 people have returned to their homes from relief camps. The District Administration is continuing to provide essential relief, including food, drinking water, and medical assistance. To prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, regular cleaning of toilets, bleaching, disinfectant spraying, and maintaining a hygienic environment are being conducted.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), led by B. C. Joshi, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, was in the field today for an on-the-spot damage assessment in the affected areas of Sepahijala and Khowai districts. District Disaster Management Authorities, led by the respective DM & Collector, along with officials from various departments, are facilitating the IMCT in their damage assessment.
In the last 24 hours, two more Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) that were waterlogged have resumed with the "Take Home Ration" facility. As of now, only 8 AWCs remain closed due to waterlogging. Currently, 9,278 AWCs are physically operational, with the remaining 936 AWCs functioning under the "Take Home Ration" scheme.
Additionally, 19 more schools have reopened since yesterday. Out of the 4,734 schools in the state, 4,590 have reopened, while 144 schools remain closed across four districts: Dhalai (14), Sepahijala (30), Gomati (49), and South Tripura (51).
Academic activities have resumed in colleges following their reopening on August 27, 2024. Student attendance in most colleges is reported to be normal. However, with ongoing Semester Exams for the 2nd and 4th semesters, attendance is expected to increase after their completion. Tripura University has been requested to reschedule the ongoing semester examinations for undergraduate courses. As a result, all ongoing semester exams, which began on August 13, 2024, have been postponed until the first week of September 2024.
Additional Secretary of the Revenue Department, Sumit Lodh, and State Project Officer of Disaster Management, Sarat Das, were also present at the press conference.