Unseasonal rain, storm wreaks havoc in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, power hit

Dibrugarh: Unseasonal heavy rain and a fierce storm wreaked havoc in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts in the early hours of Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction.
The unexpected weather event, which lasted approximately 50 minutes from 12.30 am to 1.20 am, brought powerful winds that uprooted large trees and snapped branches, causing them to crash into homes and power infrastructure.
The Jokai Borbill area of Dibrugarh bore the brunt of the damage, with at least twelve houses suffering significant structural damage.The homes of Sanat Saikia, Mangali Kaul, Aghoni Kaul and Putuli Majhi were completely flattened, leaving the families homeless. Eight residents sustained injuries from either direct impacts or flying debris during the storm. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, and their conditions are reported to be stable.
The uprooted trees damaged electric wires and poles, leading to a widespread power outage in the area. Authorities estimate that it will take at least 12 hours to restore electricity.
The unexpected weather conditions during the winter season has left residents in shock and authorities scrambling to assess the damage and restore normalcy.
"I've never seen anything like this in winter. We were sleeping when we heard a massive crash. The tree fell right through our roof and we barely managed to escape," said Mangali Kaul, whose house was completely destroyed in the storm.
Officials from the district disaster management authority have been deployed to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts.
"Our teams are on the ground, working to clear the fallen trees and provide assistance to affected families. Manpower and machinery have been mobilised to expedite the process," an official said.
The storm also caused significant damage to the campus of Duliajan College, where several trees were uprooted.
"The campus is in a mess. Trees have fallen everywhere, blocking pathways and damaging property. It will take atleast one day to clean up," said a college staffer.
In Tinsukia district, the storm caused similar devastation in Nagajan Bojalani village in the Makum area. Roofs of several houses were blown away by the strong winds, leaving families exposed to the elements. Authorities have begun preliminary damage assessments and are working to provide immediate relief to affected families.