India’s northeastern state of Tripura experienced severe flooding in August this year, which is considered to be the worst in the last three decades. The state minister said that the rainfall in Tripura this month was 151 percent more than normal.

Due to the flood, at least 12 people have died and two people are still missing, according to the local administration. Seven people lost their lives in the last 24 hours. About 1.7 lakh people in the state are under water shortage, the state government said.

Due to incessant rains for the past few days, the water level of Gomti and other rivers in Tripura has gone above the danger level. Especially in Gomti district, where the Dambur reservoir of the Gomti hydropower station is located, the August rainfall was expected to be 196.5 mm, but the actual rainfall was 656.6 mm, which is 234 percent more than normal.

Several areas, including Tripura’s capital Agartala, are still under water, and almost all major rivers in the state are flowing above the danger mark. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a red alert in three districts of the state and an orange alert in the remaining districts.

Gomti district is particularly affected the most. Due to the opening of the Dambur sluice gate there, there has been a flood in a large area of ​​Bangladesh, according to various media reports. However, state power minister Ratan Lal Nath termed the news as “slander”.

He said that no sluice gate of Gomti hydropower plant has been opened. The reservoir is operated on an automatic system, and when the water level exceeds the maximum limit, the water is automatically released through the gate. He claimed that the resulting flood situation is completely natural.

Tripura received 538.7 mm of rain in August this year, which is 151 percent more than normal. Tripura has never witnessed such heavy rains in its 31 years of history, and the situation has plunged the state into deep crisis.