Tinsukia: At least seven persons, including five women, died due to a damaging storm that tore through the rural belt of Tinsukia and Dibrugarh district in Assam on Thursday, leaving debris and downed trees and power lines in its wake.
The deceased were identified as Annie Kujur 27, L. Kumari Bhengra 35, Labanya Horo, 12, Monica Dhan, 18 – all residents of Tingkhong circle in Dibrugarh district, and Rina Thapa, 32, and Rahul Hajong, 25, residents of Tinkupathar and Namchik area under the Margherita sub-division.
Another person, Tikeshwar Sonowal, died in the hospital after a huge tree fell on his home at Bhim Pathar in Digboi.
The storm occurred at a time Bohag Bihu celebrations were underway at various places, with people dancing to the tunes of Bihu to mark the beginning of the Assamese new year.
The storm ripped apart tin roofs and damaged power lines, causing power outages. “I have witnessed such intensity of the storm for the first time in my entire lifetime,” Johney Dias, a resident of Digboi told EastMojo.
Talking to EastMojo, sub-divisional officer, Margherita, Palash Asom said one youth died on the spot, while another was injured after an uprooted fell on them while they were on a motorcycle in the Namchik area in Jagun.
“Almost 60 kaccha houses have been partially damaged at Kailashpur and Buridehing mouza under the Margherita sub-division,” Asom said. “The storm has left large scale destruction in the periphery areas of Digboi and Margherita, leaving trees and electric poles uprooted at many places, blocking roads and causing load shading,” he added.
Though initial relief was despatched yesterday and roadblocks were cleared by the forest department and ASEB, Asom said it would take a couple of days to restore the electricity.
Digboi electrical sub-division, APDCL, posted a message on Facebook: “Due to excessive damage caused to the distribution network, power restoration will take time. A lot of damage has occurred at all places. Power will not be available till major restoration works can be completed.”
The other areas affected include Makum and Philobari in the Tinsukia district.
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring Dibrugarh district, four women died in the thunderstorm in the Kherni village of Tingkhong circle. “The incident happened while they were cleaning a graveyard and took shelter under the bamboo trees due to sudden windstorm and rain,” a source said.