Storm hits Matabari Diwali fair in Tripura, Amarpur left in darkness

A sudden spell of strong wind and heavy rain swept through Tripura's Gomati district on Monday, November 9, damaging stalls at the Diwali fair around the Mata Tripura Sundari temple in Udaipur and cutting electricity across Amarpur subdivision and Natun Bazar on the night of the festival of lights.

The storm struck on the second day of the three-day Matabari Diwali festival, which draws devotees from across Tripura and neighbouring states. The district administration said no major injury or accident had been reported.

Stalls, lighting gate damaged at the fair

The wind tore roofs off several temporary stalls at the fairground and brought down a tall decorative lighting gate at Brahmabari, ENewsTime reported. A tin shed put up in front of a stage also collapsed. The Times of India reported that the gate fell onto the road near the Matabari bypass along with electrical wires, prompting authorities to ask people to stay away from the spot until the structure and any live wires were cleared. Parts of the decorative lighting at Subhash Bridge also fell onto the road and held up traffic.

Visitors left the crowded fairground to look for shelter, and power inside the temple premises went off for a while before it was restored. Small traders, many of whom had set up shop expecting their biggest sales of the year, said they had lost business at a crucial time and asked the authorities to extend the fair by a day so they could recover some of the losses.

Administration issues advisory

The District Magistrate of Gomati said in a social media statement that several places in the district had received unusually heavy rain during the evening and that the District Disaster Management Authority was monitoring the situation. Road clearance and restoration work was started through the sub-divisional administrations, with police, line departments and Civil Defence volunteers assisting.

The advisory asked residents and visitors to avoid unnecessary travel, especially through waterlogged roads and vulnerable stretches, and to keep away from overflowing streams and drains. Emergencies are to be reported to the district administration or police.

Power cut in Amarpur and Natun Bazar

In a separate spell of bad weather, uprooted trees damaged power lines and left the whole of Amarpur subdivision and Natun Bazar without electricity on Diwali night, according to ENewsTime. Restoration work was under way.

Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, in a social media post, credited local MLA Abhishek Debroy and the district administration for bringing the fair back to normal. He said the crowds at the temple and the fairground had started to grow again after sunset.

The festival at the Tripura Sundari temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, runs until Tuesday, November 10.