Cyclonic storm Sitrang, which brought heavy rainfall in parts of northeast, weakened to a depression in the early hours of Tuesday, meteorological officials said.
Most states in the region received heavy to very heavy rainfall since Monday, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had also issued a red alert for Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura for Tuesday.
“Sitrang weakened into a depression at 5:30 am on Tuesday and further weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area and lay centred over northeast Bangladesh and adjoining Meghalaya at 8:30 am,” a release issued by the Guwahati office of IMD stated.
“It is very likely to move north-northeastwards and weaken into a low-pressure area…under its influence fairly widespread rainfall accompanied with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely to continue over the northeastern states for next 24 hours,” it added.
The department issued a wind warning predicting wind speed reaching 25-35 kmph, gusting to 45 kmph, over Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura during the next 12 hours.
The IMD predicted light to moderate rainfall in all seven states in the region on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by dry weather in the next couple of days.
In Manipur, two women were swept away while crossing a stream in Ukhrul district on Monday. The state has received light to moderate rainfall at most places, with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall following build-up of the cyclonic storm.
The continuous downpour over the last two days dampened not only the Diwali festivities in the state on Tuesday, but also affected the shopping activities for the upcoming Ningol Chakkouba, the greatest festival of Manipur, on October 27.
Heavy storm, coupled with rain also destroyed some houses across Tamenglong district on Tuesday. Power supply was also cut off in Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts of Manipur.
Meanwhile in Tripura, one person was injured while 509 houses in different parts of the state were damaged due to the cyclone over the past 24 hours, according to reports available from the state emergency operation centre.
Nearly 3,700 people were affected in South Tripura district. Besides, 24 villages and 781 hectares of cropped area were also damaged in the cyclone. Electric lines were also damaged and trees were uprooted in parts of the state.
In Mizoram, all schools in Aizawl and Lunglei districts remained shut on Tuesday because of the cyclone. All district administrations in the state had issued advisories, asking people not to venture out to rivers on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as heavy rains accompanied by the cyclone can trigger flash floods.
