An untimely storm disrupted Diwali celebrations in Gomati district of Tripura on November 9, damaging the stalls at the Matabari fair dampening the celebrations. The strong wind accompanied by rains hit the power supply in Amarpur subdivision and Natun Bazar in the same district, as emergency teams undertook restoration work.
At A Glance:
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Strong winds and heavy rain damaged stalls, a decorative gate and temporary structures at the Matabari Diwali fair in Gomati district.
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Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy credited MLA Abhishek Debroy and the district administration for restoring normalcy at the fair.
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Amarpur subdivision and Natun Bazar plunged into darkness after uprooted trees damaged electricity lines during Monday’s storm.
Heavy rain and powerful winds disrupted Diwali celebrations across parts of Tripura on Monday evening. The sudden weather disturbance damaged temporary structures at the famous Matabari Diwali fair in Gomati district and uprooted trees across Amarpur and Natun Bazar. While traders at the fair suffered financial losses, a widespread power outage plunged the Amarpur subdivision into darkness during the festival of lights.
The storm also affected the movement of devotees at the Mata Tripura Sundari temple. The Gomati district administration launched emergency response measures and issued a public advisory as adverse weather conditions affected several locations.
Matabari Diwali Fair Suffers Damage as Strong Winds Hit
The sudden downpour and strong winds caused considerable damage to the Matabari fair on Monday evening. Powerful gusts tore away the roofs of several temporary stalls and brought down a tall gate fitted with decorative lighting at Brahmabari.
Local sources said the heavy rainfall disrupted the movement of devotees and visitors inside the temple premises. The sudden deterioration in weather also affected business activities at the fair, causing losses for several small and marginal traders.
Many traders had set up temporary stalls in anticipation of heavy visitor footfall during the three-day celebration. However, the storm disrupted their business at a crucial time.
Following the losses, small traders demanded that the authorities extend the fair by one day. They believe an additional day would provide an opportunity to recover at least part of the business lost due to the weather disruption.
A tin shed constructed in front of a stage also collapsed under the impact of heavy rainfall and strong winds. The incident added to the damage caused by the storm at the fairground.
Electricity supply inside the temple premises also remained disrupted for some time. However, the authorities reportedly restored the supply promptly.
Gomati Administration Launches Emergency Response
The Gomati district administration issued a public advisory after several locations experienced heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions.
In a social media statement, the District Magistrate of Gomati said the district had witnessed unprecedented rainfall at several places during the evening. The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) was closely monitoring the situation.
The administration also initiated road clearance and restoration operations through the respective sub-divisional administrations. Police personnel, officials from line departments and Civil Defence volunteers extended support to the response operations.
The district administration said no major injury or accident had been reported at the time of the statement.
The public advisory urged residents and visitors to remain alert and exercise caution. It asked people to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly through waterlogged areas and vulnerable stretches of roads.
The administration also cautioned people against approaching overflowing streams, drains and other potentially dangerous locations.
Residents were advised to immediately report emergencies or untoward incidents to the district administration, police or concerned authorities.
The district administration said the police and all concerned departments remained on alert. They were working in close coordination to protect residents and respond promptly to emergencies.
The advisory urged people to remain vigilant and prioritise their safety during the adverse weather conditions.
Pranajit Singha Roy Praises MLA, District Administration
Tripura Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy praised local MLA Abhishek Debroy and the Gomati district administration for their prompt response to the weather disruption at the Matabari Diwali fair.
In a social media message, the minister said natural disasters were unpredictable events and human intervention remained limited in such circumstances.
He said strong winds, heavy rainfall and adverse weather had disrupted the second afternoon and evening of the Diwali fair in the town of Mata Tripura Sundari.
However, the swift intervention of the local MLA, district administration and officials and employees of the concerned departments helped restore normal activities at the fair.
Singha Roy said the fair gradually regained its usual atmosphere after the administration responded to the situation.
He also pointed out that the number of devotees visiting the temple and the crowd at the fair had started increasing after sunset. The growing footfall had helped overshadow the disruption caused by the storm and rainfall.
The Finance Minister thanked Abhishek Debroy and the Gomati district administration for their efforts in bringing the situation under control.
Amarpur, Natun Bazar Plunge Into Darkness on Diwali Night
Meanwhile, another spell of severe weather disrupted electricity supply across Amarpur subdivision and Natun Bazar on Monday evening.
A strong storm accompanied by torrential rain uprooted several trees and damaged electricity infrastructure. The resulting power outage left the entire Amarpur subdivision and Natun Bazar without electricity during Diwali celebrations.
The weather changed suddenly after Monday afternoon. Dark clouds covered the sky before strong gusty winds and heavy rainfall swept across the area.
The storm uprooted trees at several locations. Some fell across roads, while others came down near residential buildings and onto electric poles.
Fallen trees and broken branches damaged overhead electricity lines at multiple locations. The damage snapped power connections and disrupted electricity supply across the affected areas.
The widespread outage severely affected Diwali celebrations. Residents faced darkness on a night when homes, streets and public spaces were expected to remain illuminated for the festival.
Power Restoration Hampered by Adverse Weather
Electricity department personnel began restoration work to repair damaged infrastructure and bring the supply system back to normal.
However, continuing adverse weather conditions hampered the repair operations. Fallen trees and damaged overhead lines at multiple locations added to the restoration challenge.
As of 10 pm on Monday, electricity supply had not resumed in the affected areas. The concerned authorities had also not announced a definite timeline for restoring power.
The prolonged outage disrupted normal life across Amarpur subdivision and Natun Bazar, adding to the difficulties caused by the storm.
The two weather-hit areas experienced different forms of disruption during the same evening. While the Matabari fair suffered damage to stalls and temporary structures, Amarpur and Natun Bazar faced widespread electricity failures after trees fell on power infrastructure.
The administration continued its response and restoration efforts as the storm disrupted Diwali celebrations across parts of Tripura.
