One dies as heavy rain lashes Agartala, parts of Tripura

Agartala: A man died after he fell into a manhole as incessant rain caused massive inundation across Tripura with the state's capital Agartala witnessing a record rainfall of around 200 mm in just three hours, officials said on Sunday.

Normal life was affected as overnight rainfall wreaked havoc in the city with people seen wading through knee-deep waters in front of the chief minister's residence.

Over 5,000 city dwellers have taken shelter in 27 relief camps of the Agartala Municipal Corporation after several low-lying areas have been inundated with flood waters, West Tripura District Magistrate Vishal Kumar said.

Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder visited waterlogged areas in the state capital to take stock of the situation and said the city recorded the "highest downpour of 200 mm just three hours on Saturday night", causing waterlogging in several localities.

"One person died after he fell into a manhole at Jackson Gate. A control room has been made operational to monitor the flood-like situation," he told the reporters.

Majumder said all the pumping stations in the city have been working to drain out the rainwater at the earliest.

"If the downpour continues, the situation may worsen in Agartala city and its adjacent areas, but we are ready to deal with any eventuality," the district magistrate said.

The DM said the water level in the Howrah river is flowing at a danger level (10.80 metres), and 5,765 families living on the bank of the river have taken shelter in relief camps.

A 16-year-old boy drowned at Jirania in West Tripura on Friday.

The Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) predicted heavy rainfall in Tripura due to monsoon which arrived ten days ahead of its scheduled time.