Severe storm leaves trail of destruction in Assam

GUWAHATI: A severe storm ravaged parts of the city and its outskirts on Sunday afternoon, leaving at least twelve people dead across the state. The sudden storm, which lasted for about half an hour, wreaked havoc over parts of lower Assam and paralyzed normal life in the capital. Two deaths have been reported from Kamrup (metro) district and ten deaths have been reported from Goalpara district.
Arun Das (43), a fisherman, has been reported to be dead, while another fisherman, Joy Ram Das, has gone missing after his boat drowned in the Deepor Beel.
A tree fell down on a motorbike at Beharbari along the National Highway 37, killing one person and severely injuring another person. Pabitra Das (47) is reported to have died on the spot, while the injured person is undergoing treatment at a city hospital.
In rural areas of lower Assam, the storm damaged hundreds of houses and uprooted many trees. Road connectivity on the outskirts of the city was blocked for several hours. Power supply was interrupted for many hours, returning only on Monday in several places.
According to an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report, 12 people lost their lives in Sunday’s storm, even as the detailed reports are yet to be received from all the affected districts. The report said a total of 14 localities were affected by the storm in Guwahati, Dispur, Azara and Sonapur revenue circles in Kamrup (metro) district, four villages were hit in Darrang district, and two villages were hit in Goalpara.
The storm dampened the festive spirit surrounding Vishwakarma Puja and preparations for Durga Puja, with many pandals toppled by the severe winds.
10 killed as 3 boats capsize in Saban river
At least 10 persons were killed when three boats were caught in a heavy storm and capsized at Saban river in Goalpara near the Assam-Meghalaya border on Sunday evening.
The deceased include six minors between ages of six and ten and two women. Goalpara superintendent of police Amitava Sinha toldTOI, “There is no missing report. The search operation found nine bodies on Sunday and one on Monday morning. Others had luckily swam to safety.”
The tragedy happened when around 25 people were returning to their homes in Goalpara after enjoying an annual traditional boat race held at Tikrikilla near the interstate border. “When the storm caught us on the way, we saw a huge wave in the river approaching us. The wave was too strong and drowned our boats,” said a survivor.