GUWAHATI, May 1 - In all, 21 persons died and 39,595 families in 1,041 villages of the State were affected by the incidents of storm and lightning in the past four months, between January 9 and April 30. January and February are the winter months, while pre-monsoon season started in the State since March last.
According to the figures available with the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 30,388 kutcha houses and 496 pucca houses were partially damaged and 7,100 kutcha houses and 14 pucca houses were completely damaged in these incidents. The storms also led to the damage of 65 buildings, chiefly educational institutions, in the affected districts.
Cachar has emerged as the worst storm-hit district so far, with its 17,666 families affected by storms. It is followed by Tinsukia district. In all, 11,251 families in Tinsukia district are hit by storms so far.
Storms hit the State in a widespread manner on April 28, lashing the nine districts of Darrang, Kamrup, Barpeta, Sivasagar, Nalbari, Kokrajhar, Cachar, Tinsukia and Goalpara, affecting 4,457 families in these districts in a single day.
Six persons were killed in these incidents in the districts of Darrang (one), Cachar (two) and Tinsukia (three) that day, while four persons were injured in Kamrup district. Significantly, all those killed in these incidents were women.
Earlier, four districts of Nagaon, Tinsukia, Kamrup and Cachar were hit by storm on April 5. Of those killed in the storm-related incidents during the past four months, seven cases of death have been attributed to lightning.
One person was reportedly killed in an incident of lightning in Raha Revenue Circle of Nagaon district on April 5. Death of two persons in Kokrajhar district the next day was also attributed to an incident of lightning.
On April 18, one person was reported dead due to lightning in Cachar district. Lighting also took the toll of one human life in Dhekiajuli Revenue Circle of Sonitpur district on April 21.
On April 30, two persons, including a woman, were killed in an incident of lightning at Nangli Char area under Mangaldai Revenue Circle of Darrang district.
