Tripura shuts educational institutions indefinitely amid worst floods in decades

Agartala, Aug 22: Tripura is grappling with its worst floods in decades, prompting the state government to announce the closure of all educational institutions until further notice.

The directive affects government, government-aided, and private schools and colleges across the state.

The floods, which have claimed 12 lives and impacted over 34,000 people, have led to widespread devastation.

On Thursday, following Chief Minister Manik Saha’s request to the Centre for assistance, 11 teams from the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) arrived from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to bolster rescue operations.

This deployment follows the arrival of an additional NDRF team from Silchar on Wednesday evening.

Expressing gratitude for the swift support, Chief Minister Saha reiterated that the state’s administrative machinery is working tirelessly to aid those affected.

“This is part of our sustained efforts to provide critical support & assistance to flood-affected areas. We're committed to reaching those in need," Saha posted on social media.

The situation in Tripura has become increasingly dire, with thousands displaced and seven lives lost in a single day on Tuesday. Landslides have also been reported, further exacerbating the crisis.

Furthermore, the Revenue Secretary informed that a total of 450 relief camps have been opened by the District Administration since August 19, 2024 for providing shelter to over 65,400 persons in the State.

Meanwhile, to aid in the evacuation of stranded individuals, MI-17 helicopters have been deployed and have already begun landing at MBB Airport.

Adding to the state's woes, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of isolated heavy rainfall throughout the week due to the development of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, potentially worsening the flood situation.