Cyclone Sitrang fades,  causing widespread heavy rain in the northeast

• Image Credit: Internet

• Oct 25, 2022 | Sourav Boruah

Digital Desk: Cyclonic storm Sitrang, which brought
torrential rain to parts of the northeast, was downgraded to a depression in
the early hours of Tuesday, according to meteorological officials.

Since Monday, most states in the region have
received severe to extremely heavy rain, and the India Meteorological
Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and
Tripura for Tuesday.

"Sitrang weakened into a depression around 5:30
a.m. on Tuesday and further weakened into a well-defined low-pressure region
and lay centered over northeast Bangladesh and neighboring Meghalaya by 8:30
a.m.," according to a press release from the IMD's Guwahati office.

"It is quite likely to proceed
north-northeastwards and diminish into a low-pressure area...under its
influence, pretty widespread rainfall will occur, accompanied by heavy to very
severe rainfall in isolated locations."

The
department issued a wind warning for the next 12 hours, anticipating wind
speeds of 25-35 kmph with gusts up to 45 kmph over Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal
Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Tripura.

The
IMD forecasted light to moderate rain in all seven states in the region on
Wednesday and Thursday, followed by dry weather the following two days.

On
Monday, two women washed away while crossing a stream in Manipur's Ukhrul
district. Most of the state has experienced light to moderate rainfall, with
isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall as a result of the cyclonic storm's
buildup.

The
incessant downpour over the last two days impacted not only the state's Diwali
celebrations on Tuesday but also retail activities.

Meanwhile, one person was injured in
Tripura, and 509 dwellings in various parts of the state were destroyed by the
cyclone over the past 24 hours, according to information from the state
emergency operation center.

In the South Tripura district, over
3,700 people were affected. In addition, the cyclone devastated 24 settlements
and 781 hectares of agricultural land. Electric lines were also damaged in
several areas of the state, and trees were uprooted.

Because of the cyclone, all schools in
Mizoram's Aizawl and Lunglei districts remained closed on Tuesday. All district
administrations in the state issued cautions warning residents not to go near
rivers on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday because heavy rainfall caused by the
cyclone could cause flash floods.