The worst of cyclonic storm “SITRANG” across Tripura dampened the festival spirit of Diwali on Monday due to incessant rains and storm like condition, which has seen an improved weather condition since Tuesday morning.

The worst of cyclonic storm “SITRANG” across Tripura dampened the festival spirit of Diwali on Monday due to incessant rains and storm like condition, which has seen an improved weather condition since Tuesday morning.

After the devastating storm, which has weaken in Bangladesh entered into Tripura, but disturbed the normal life and the festivities, which has badly affected the power supply across the state, uprooted many trees and electric pools, destroyed Kali Puja pandals and decorations in many parts of the state, which has virtually spoiled the festivities on Diwali night. As a result, people were forced to stay in their houses without any bursting of crackers and candle lights.

With rain dampening the spirit of Durga Puja festivities recently across Tripura, the unseasonal rains caused by the deep depression and cyclonic storm "Sitrang" also badly affected the Diwali cheerfulness and the festivity in the state.

After incessant rains and storm-like conditions, the state since Tuesday morning saw the improved weather due weakening of cyclonic storm “SITRANG”.

The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Agartala station director Nahush Kulkarni said that cyclonic storm “SITRANG” has already passed over Tripura and so far no major incidents have been reported barring some incidents of uprooting trees and disturbance in electric supply. He said that from Tuesday, the weather condition improved and on Wednesday the state will witness a generally cloudy sky and light rain is very likely to occur in some areas.

He said that cyclonic storm passed through two districts of the state West Tripura and Sepahijala and there was no heavy damage so far and now, the state will witness pleasant weather.

Due to incessant and intermittent showers since Sunday night forced people to remain indoors as most Agartala streets wore a deserted look on a festive evening on Monday which would normally have attracted thousands to visit marquees with idols of Goddess Kali and see the bright lights of the city.

However, despite bad weather, devotees turned up in droves since early morning at Tripura Sundari Kali temple in Udaipur and few temples located at Agartala including in Indranagar Kali Bari and Uma Maheshwari temple, where Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha was also visited and offered his prayers.

Despite the storm, thousands of Kali Puja was celebrated in the state amidst incessant rain , which is considered the second biggest festival of the state after Durga Puja.

While, all the district administrations of all eight districts of the state have now been collecting the details of the damages caused by the storm and the government will pay the compensations as per the norms.

Reports said that many Kali Puja pandals including a big community Puja in front of Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala has also destroyed and a big Puja pandal at Jirania with 41 feet long clay made idol of Goddess has also uprooted and collapsed in the ground on Monday’s night storm.

Apart from these, there are reports of many Puja pandals, lightings and other decorations were completely destroyed due incessant rains and heavy wind speed due to land fall of the storm in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Sources added that about 100 houses were also damaged in the storm , especially in Sepahijala district and affected the normal life in all districts also dampened the Diwali cheers in the state.

The IMD said that light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places were also reported in north Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur and heavy rainfall in southern Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura on Monday.

It may be recalled here after IMD sounded red alert for Tripura, over 120 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were airlifted to Agartala from Guwahati to deploy them in various districts to deal with the cyclonic and flood situation if occurred, but situation remain almost normal barring small incidents of storm.