Agartala, July 12: A massive tree was uprooted during heavy rain and strong winds near the Bankumari Temple area of Hathai kotor (Baramura) on the Assam–Agartala National Highway on Saturday evening, bringing traffic to a complete halt for several hours.
The fallen tree blocked both lanes of the highway, triggering a long traffic jam on either side. More than a hundred vehicles, including passenger buses, goods-laden trucks, private cars and motorcycles, were stranded, causing severe inconvenience to commuters and drivers.
After receiving information, personnel from the Champaknagar Outpost, the Fire and Emergency Services and the Forest Department rushed to the spot and launched a clearance operation. Teams worked for hours to cut and remove the tree from the highway.
The situation took a serious turn during the operation when two electricity poles reportedly collapsed and high-voltage power lines snapped. A woman came into contact with the live wire and sustained serious injuries. She was immediately rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment.
A motorcycle parked near the site was also damaged in the incident.
Preliminary reports suggest that continuous rainfall and strong gusty winds may have caused the tree to fall. Traffic movement remained disrupted for several hours before gradually returning to normal following the joint efforts of the authorities.
