File Photo | AT Image
Guwahati, May 29: A 19-year-old boy died while his father sustained injuries after a tree fell at their house at Nabajyoti Nagar, byelane 4 (hill side), under Satgaon Police Station in the early hours of Tuesday as heavy rains and winds lashed the city since last night.
The deceased has been identified as Mintu Talukdar.
A police sources said that the incident happened around 2 am when they were sleeping.
“Mintu’s father, Bibek Talukdar, is undergoing treatment at the GMCH,” he said. Another two persons also sustained injuries in the storm.
Strong winds and incessant rainfall triggered by Cyclone Remal damaged electrical infrastructure and uprooted trees in the city. Most places in the city received rainfall of 20 mm, while areas such as Khanapara and Sonapur recorded 40 mm of rainfall.
According to official data, over 50 trees were uprooted in various parts of the city. Narengi, Fatasil, Chandrapur, and Kalapahar areas witnessed most of the tree-falling incidents.
At least 20 APDCL poles were uprooted within Guwahati alone, and the majority of the power lines were affected by the storm, mostly due to tree falling.
“The storm began at around 1.30 am. Nothing much could be done in the early hours as the storm and rains were still there. Multiple teams were deployed to restore the power supply. In those cases where poles were not damaged, supply was restored by evening,” an APDCL official said.
In cases where the supply was broken, like in some pockets of Narengi, the supply could not be restored till evening. However, teams were still working to restore supplies.
To clear the trees, a total of seven Forest Department teams were deployed, assisted by SDRF, personnel from DDMA, Circle Offices, and police. Local residents also helped clear the trees at many places.
Uprooted trees and broken branches at locations including the campus of Cotton University and Jyoti Chitraban, and Amsing Jorabat, Santipur, Bhangagarh, Kalapahar-Dakshingaon Road, Panikhaiti and VIP Road, among others were cleared.
An official of the Forest Department said that staff have been deployed to look after the trees, which could cause further damage.
“A leaning tree was cleared at the Assam Secretariat, while temporary arrangements have been made to protect a dangerously poisoned tree at the BDS Govt HS School at Kahilipara,” said the officials.
According to an official of the Kamrup (Metro) district administration, the people living in the landslide-prone areas have been asked to vacate their houses and shift to a safer place in view of landslide incidents in the city.
The district administration has conducted awareness drives among the people, mostly in the hilly areas, so they can leave their houses immediately.
Meanwhile, several low-lying areas of the city witnessed waterlogging. Places such as Hatigaon, Chandmari, and Hatigarh Chariali, among others, were severely affected.
Many schools were also declared a holiday in view of the weather conditions on Tuesday.
-By Staff Reporter
