Guwahati, Oct 26, 2022, IANS

Guwahati, Oct 26 (IANS) Assam has been battered by heavy rain since Monday due to Cyclone Sitrang spoiling the Diwali festivities across the state.

Heavy rainfall has lashed the Kamrup district while Guwahati faced waterlogging in several areas of the city on Tuesday. Maligaon, Santipur, Fatashil Ambari, Hatigaon, Sijubari, etc areas in the city were waterlogged due to incessant rain. The citizens have faced issues while transporting from one place to another in Guwahati. But as Tuesday was a holiday declared by the state government due to the Diwali celebration, it has given some respite to daily commuters.

Meanwhile, because of winds and heavy rain, a large tree fell on the Guwahati-Shillong route at Khanapara and blocked the busy route on Tuesday morning. However, the District Disaster Management Authority personnel rushed to the spot, chopped the tree, and cleared the highway in a few hours.

The other districts of Assam have also witnessed heavy rainfall activities for the last two days.

Several houses have been damaged in the Nagaon district due to gusty winds. Numerous trees and electric poles were uprooted in various parts of the district due to the cyclonic storm Sitarang on Monday night, an official said.

Kaliabor, Bamuni, Sakmuthia tea estates, and Boraligaon areas of central Assam have also reported damages in several houses. Infrastructure damages have occurred in different parts of the state due to the cyclone. However, no casualties have been reported till now in Assam.

As reported by the state disaster management authority, a total of 83 villages were affected by cyclone Sitarang. At least 162 houses were either partially or fully damaged and 325.501 hectare crop was also damaged due to this cyclonic storm.

Earlier, the weather department predicted widespread rainfall activities over the northeastern region due to the cyclonic storm Sitrang.

Sanjay O'Neill Shaw, Director of Guwahati Regional Meteorological Centre, said that the depression over northeast Bangladesh and the neighborhood moved north-northeastward and further weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area and lay centred over northeast Bangladesh and adjoining Meghalaya on Tuesday morning.

"It has continued to move north-northeastwards and weakened into a low-pressure area", he added.

The Met department said that the weather is likely to get better from Wednesday in Assam.