GUWAHATI:
In what has been described as a rare weather phenomenon, a tornado hit two villages in lower Assam’s Barpeta district on May 7, damaging a number of houses and affecting around 56 families.
Sanjay O’Neill Shaw, deputy director-general of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Borjhar, told The Meghalayan that it was a low-intensity tornado that hit Chenga, not a cyclone.
“Seven houses were damaged extensively due to the tornado. 56 families of Rowmari and Malartari villages under Chenga Revenue Circle were affected by it. Both villages are located in a char area. However, there was no extensive damage. There was no loss of human life in the tornado,” said Pranjit Deb, circle officer of Chenga Revenue Circle.
Earlier on May 5, the Indian meteorological department (IMD) had forecasted thunderstorms coupled with moderate to heavy rains over the next few days for the entire Northeast. And moreover, all the states in the region have been receiving on and off pre-monsoon rains since the beginning of April.
An east-west trough extending from northwest Madhya Pradesh to Meghalaya, coupled with south-westerly winds blowing in from the Bay of Bengal, is expected to bring thunder and rainfall to the Northeast over the next five days, the IMD had said.
As per the weather forecast, scattered to fairly widespread rains of light to moderate intensity over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura are expected over the next five days, with isolated thunderstorms and lightning.
In the wake of these forecasts, the IMD has placed a “yellow watch”, which is issued to urge individuals to be updated about the inclement weather, over Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand and Odisha.
Significantly, Assam and Meghalaya will retain the yellow alert till May 10.
Between March 1 and May 5, the states of Tripura and Mizoram experienced “deficient” rainfall, while Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur witnessed “normal” rains. Meanwhile, Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim have already experienced “excess” rains by 26 per cent, 41 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively.