Agartala Flood Situation Under Control, Says CM Manik Saha, Howrah River Nears Danger Mark as Rescue Operations Intensify
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, August 23, 2026
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Sunday afternoon said that the flood situation in and around Agartala is currently under control, even as several low-lying and waterlogged areas of the capital continued to face serious difficulties following torrential and incessant rainfall since Saturday night.
After visiting several flood-affected areas during the afternoon, the Chief Minister said the state administration was maintaining round-the-clock surveillance of the situation and taking necessary steps to ensure that relief and essential assistance reached affected people without delay. He said the BJP-led state government stood firmly with people affected by the heavy rainfall and flooding.
The Chief Minister’s assessment came at a time when the water level of the Howrah River remained extremely high. According to the Water Resources Sub-Division, Agartala, the warning level at the Jahar Bridge gauge station is 9.86 metres, while the critical level is 10.72 metres and the danger level is 11.22 metres. The extreme danger level has been fixed at 11.72 metres.
At 5:00 PM on August 23, the Howrah River was flowing at 11.21 metres, just 0.01 metre below the officially specified danger level of 11.22 metres. The highest flood level recorded at the gauge station was 12.05 metres on August 22, 2024. The present water level has therefore kept the administration on high alert despite the Chief Minister’s statement that the overall situation remains under control.
The Chief Minister said administrative authorities were being instructed to continuously monitor vulnerable areas and respond quickly wherever people required assistance. He also emphasised the need to ensure the safety of residents in flood-prone and waterlogged localities.
Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations were intensified in several parts of the Agartala municipal area. In the Baldakhal locality, teams of the Agartala Municipal Corporation were engaged in rescue operations amid severe waterlogging, particularly to shift vulnerable residents to safer locations.
The impact of the heavy rainfall was visible across several parts of the capital and its outskirts. Areas under the Khayerpur Assembly constituency, including Baldakhal, Tehsil Kachari, Palpara, Nathpara, Shivbari, Puratan Agartala and different parts of Ward No. 9, were reportedly affected by extensive waterlogging.
Local BJP workers and volunteers also joined relief activities in the affected areas.
TripuraInfo.com sources from the Khayerpur area said that local MLA visited Baldakhal along with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Jirania, SDRF personnel and members of Scouts and Guides. Essential food items were distributed among affected residents, while their difficulties and immediate requirements were assessed.
A relief camp was also arranged at Chandrapur, with food and other essential facilities made available for people who needed to move out of waterlogged areas. Local mandal leaders, mandal committee members and youth-wing workers were reported to be assisting affected families in different locations.
Residents were urged not to take unnecessary risks and to move to nearby relief camps or other safe locations if their homes became unsafe. They were also advised to remain alert and contact the administration or local relief teams whenever assistance was required.
The Chandrapur area has also emerged as a major point of concern. The Assam–Agartala National Highway was reported to have been severely affected by waterlogging and deteriorating road conditions in parts of Chandrapur. The condition of several stretches of the highway has raised concerns over traffic movement and connectivity at a time when heavy rainfall has already disrupted normal life in the capital.
The flooding has also exposed vulnerabilities in parts of Agartala’s so-called Smart City area. Visuals and accounts from affected residents showed people struggling through waist- to chest-deep water in some localities. In one particularly distressing situation, a resident was seen attempting to leave a waterlogged area while carrying an ailing mother through the floodwater.
At the administrative level, senior officials including DM West Dr Vishal Kumar, IAS were visiting affected areas to assess the situation.
Other than the West Tripura District Magistrate, Jirania Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Additional Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Sadar were among officials involved in field-level monitoring of the waterlogging and flood situation.
The Rani Bazar area under the Majlishpur Assembly constituency was also affected by the previous night’s prolonged rainfall. Assampara in Rani Bazar reportedly came under floodwater, prompting a visit by local representatives who interacted with residents and took stock of their problems, immediate requirements and living conditions.
The administration has been directed to ensure prompt delivery of relief and essential assistance while taking necessary measures for the safety and overall welfare of affected families.
At the same time, the rapidly rising level of the Howrah River remains a key concern. With the river standing at 11.21 metres at 5 PM, virtually touching the 11.22-metre danger mark, authorities are expected to maintain close surveillance, particularly in low-lying areas along the river and in locations vulnerable to drainage congestion and flash flooding.
The present situation has brought renewed attention to Agartala’s drainage and flood-management infrastructure. While the Chief Minister has maintained that the overall flood situation is under control and that the government is monitoring developments continuously, the ground situation in several localities remains challenging for residents.
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