Agartala, Aug 28 : A six-member inter-ministerial Central team arrived here on Wednesday to take stock of the damages and losses caused by the week-long floods and landslides in Tripura, which witnessed catastrophic floods for the first time in over three decades.

Officials said that on the request of the state government, the Centre sent the six-member inter-ministerial team led by B.C. Joshi, Joint Secretary (Foreigners Division) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The team comprises senior officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Expenditure (Ministry of Finance), and Ministries of Jal Shakti, Rural Development, and Road Transport and Highways.

A senior official said that the team would hold a series of meetings with the state officials and visit various districts, especially the worst-hit Gomati, Sepahijala, West Tripura, and South Tripura districts for on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the wake of devastating floods and landslides that wreaked havoc in Tripura between August 19 and August 24.

During an all-party meeting, Chief Minister Manik Saha had informed that as per preliminary assessment, the damages to properties, crops and infrastructure amounted to around Rs 15,000 crore, which could rise further after field assessment.

The catastrophic floods in Tripura claimed at least 31 lives, besides affecting over 17 lakh people. Over 72,000 people are still lodged in 492 relief camps across the state.

Landslides triggered by heavy rain occurred in a record number of 2,066 places, including many important highways such as National Highway 8, the lifeline of Tripura.

Disaster management officials said that as per the initial estimates, around 20,300 houses were damaged either fully or partially due to the heavy rain, landslides, and floods.

According to officials, so far around 1,000 drinking water schemes have been repaired and the remaining sources are also being repaired on a war footing.

The Relief Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Department of the state government has so far released Rs 79 crore to eight districts to undertake relief, rehabilitation, and restoration work.

/IANS