Guwahati, May 5: At least four persons were killed and several injured in different parts of Assam as rain and storm wreaked havoc last night and this morning.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, Hiren Baruah, 28, of Milanpur village in Tinsukia district was struck by lightning while Mohan Choconi, 51, of Barpathar in Karbi Anglong district and Hasmat Ali, 50, of Gholapara Part II of Bongaigaon district died in the storm.
"We also have reports of another death from our district officers. But no details have been received yet. It is possible that the person was washed away in flash floods," an officer of the ASDMA told The Telegraph here today.
Two others - one in Dibrugarh and another in Golaghat - are feared dead. According to sources, Abdul Shariff died at Amlapatty in Dibrugarh town after a tree fell on him. "Details are awaited," Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Laya Madduri said.
In Golaghat, Pinky Karwa, a resident of Sevaguri under Sarupathar police station, died in the storm last night.
In Guwahati, three-year-old Priyanka Das was today almost washed away. "My daughter was playing near an open drain with paper boats this morning and somehow toppled in. She was dragged almost 200 meters and fortunately got stuck on an electric pole. A shop assistant rescued her and immediately took her to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH)," Pritam Das, the child's father, said here today.
Priyanka is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of GMCH. According to the doctors, "She is still traumatised."
In Bokajan, Karbi Anglong, members of two families were injured after a tree crashed on their houses.
According to the ASDMA, all the districts in the state have been affected by the inclement weather. "Altogether eight villages - Tingkhang, Muranipather, Muraniamguri, Mirihula, Pakhorijonia, Tipomia, Kopohua, Rangchangi - have been affected in Dibrugarh district."
"Altogether 310 persons were affected by the storm, leaving 12 kutcha houses completely damaged and a pucca house and 45 kutcha houses partially damaged in Tinsukia," Madduri said.
Reports of tin roofs being blown away, trees uprooted at several places and disruption of power supply poured in from several places in Tinsukia.
"Althogether 82 households in five villages under Margherita sub-division of Tinsukia district - Powai, Borgolai No 1, Borpowai, Dehing and Rampur - were affected, leaving four persons injured and 420 affected," a source in the district disaster office in Tinsuka said.
According to the Borjhar-based Regional Meteorological Centre, the inclement weather is expected to continue. "Moderate rain, including thundershowers, is likely to occur at most places. But the conditions are expected to improve thereafter," Sanjay O'Neil Shaw, the RMC director, said.
Additional reporting by Rishu kalantri in Tinsukia and our correspondent in Jorhat
