Tripura: Over 500 passengers stranded at Agartala airport as flights canceled due to cyclone
Agartala: The Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala faced a disruption as Cyclonic Storm “Midhili” forced the cancellation of all flights, leaving more than 500 passengers stranded.
Airport authority sources revealed that no flights have landed since 1 pm on Friday, prompting airlines to cancel operations.
“The cyclonic storm ‘Midhili’ is the reason behind the cancellation of all flights. Since 1 pm today, no flights have been able to land at MBB airport. The airlines are making efforts to provide essential facilities, including food, for the stranded passengers,” stated an official from the Airport Authority.
Further, the Meteorological Department of Agartala issued a warning to the Airport Authority about gusty winds expected until 11 pm.
A red alert has been issued for four districts — South, Gomati, Sepahijala, and Dhalai — for extremely heavy rainfall, while an orange alert is in place for North, Unakuti, Khowai, and West District.
The Tripura government’s revenue department is closely monitoring the situation and collaborating with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) for updates on the cyclonic storm.
Additionally, the government has alerted the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Tripura State Rifles (TSR), and Fire & Emergency Services, and has prepared equipment such as boats, life jackets, and other flood rescue items for potential emergency response.