• The Tripura Disaster Management Authority has declared the entire state as a "Natural Calamity Affected Area" due to recent floods and landslides.
• The Inter-Ministerial Central Team assessed the damage, which includes 20,300 damaged houses and 2,066 landslide locations.
• The floods claimed 32 lives, affected over 17 lakh people, and caused an estimated Rs 15,000 crore in damages.
• The state has released Rs 79 crore for relief, rehabilitation, and restoration work, highlighting the importance of disaster management and preparedness.

In a significant development, the Tripura Disaster Management Authority (TDMA) has declared the entire state as a Natural Calamity Affected Area. This decision comes in the wake of the recent week-long floods and landslides that have wreaked havoc across the state, causing substantial damage and loss of life. The declaration was made during the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) that arrived to assess the extent of the damage.

The IMCT, comprising six members, arrived in the state on Wednesday and visited the worst-hit Gomati and South Tripura districts on Thursday. The team was led by B.C. Joshi, Joint Secretary (Foreigners Division) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and included senior officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Expenditure (Ministry of Finance), and Ministries of Jal Shakti, Rural Development, and Road Transport and Highways.

The decision to declare the entire state as a Natural Calamity Affected Area was taken by the State Executive Committee of TDMA, headed by Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha. The gravity of the situation, which led to the loss of human lives and damage to public and private properties, necessitated this decision, according to Brijesh Pandey, Tripura Government's Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Secretary.

Impact and Assessment of the Calamity

The IMCT's visit included on-the-spot field assessments of the damage to crops, various infrastructures including roads, buildings, dwelling houses, and properties in the affected areas of South Tripura and Gomati districts. District Disaster Management Authorities, led by respective District Magistrates and Collectors, along with other officials from different departments, have taken preparatory steps to facilitate the IMCT in their on-the-spot assessment of damages.

The catastrophic floods in Tripura claimed at least 32 lives and affected over 17 lakh people. Around 53,000 people are still lodged in 346 relief camps in the flood-affected districts. The landslides, triggered by heavy rain, occurred at 2,066 places, including many important highways such as National Highway 8, the lifeline of Tripura.

Initial estimates by disaster management officials suggest that around 20,300 houses were damaged either fully or partially due to the heavy rain, landslides, and floods. So far, around 1,000 drinking water schemes have been repaired, and the remaining sources are also being repaired on a war footing.

Rehabilitation and Restoration Efforts

In terms of education, 4,734 schools in the state have been reopened on August 27, except for 163 schools which are yet to be re-opened as either relief camps were set up in these schools or they were badly damaged due to the floods. These schools are in four districts -- Dhalai (14), Sepahijala (33), Gomati (65), and South Tripura (51).

The Relief Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Department of the state government has so far released Rs 79 crore to eight districts to undertake relief, rehabilitation, and restoration work. This comes after Chief Minister Manik Saha informed during an all-party meeting that the damages to properties, crops, and infrastructure amounted to around Rs 15,000 crore, a figure which could rise further after field assessment.

This is not the first time that Tripura has faced such a calamity. In the past, the state has been hit by severe cyclonic storms, such as Remal in May 2024, which brought maximum sustained wind speeds of 110-120 kmph with gusts up to 135 kmph. The state government had then convened an urgent meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC), chaired by the Chief Secretary, and had requested the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to deploy a team to assist the affected districts.

The current situation in Tripura is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of natural disasters and the importance of disaster management and preparedness. As the state grapples with the aftermath of the floods and landslides, the declaration of the entire state as a Natural Calamity Affected Area is a crucial step towards mobilizing resources and efforts for relief, rehabilitation, and restoration work. The state, its people, and the authorities are working together to overcome this calamity and rebuild their lives.