Assam: Storm claims 14 lives, damages over 12,000 houses in 2 days

Severe storms lashed many parts of Assam on Friday and Saturday, affecting over 21,000 people in 12 districts.

Updated on: Apr 17, 2022, 09:53:52 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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GUWAHATI: Rongali Bihu, the Assamese New Year, started on a sad note for people in many districts with heavy storms claiming 14 lives and damaging over 12,000 houses in 2 days, according to the state disaster management authority.

Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh have been experiencing heavy rainfall and thunderstorms since the beginning of this month. (Representational Image)

Severe storms lashed many parts of the state on Friday, the first day of the New Year, and on Saturday, affecting over 21,000 people in 12 districts.

According the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 8 people died on Friday—4 in Dibrugarh district, 3 in Barpeta and 1 in Goalpara. While the death in Goalpara was due to lightning, seven others in Dibrugarh and Barpeta were due to storm.

On Saturday, 2 deaths were reported from Baksa, 1 in Dibrugarh and 3 in Tinsukia districts. All the deaths were due to storms. Victims in Baksa and Tinsukia died after trees uprooted by storm fell on them.

A total of 7,344 houses were damaged (partially and fully) in the affected districts on Friday. The number was 4,768 on Saturday, according to the ASDMA report.

Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh have been experiencing heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms since the beginning of this month leading to flooding and landslides in some areas.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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