Heavy rain triggers flash floods, landslides in Manipur’s Noney district

IMPHAL — An intense overnight rainfall lashing Manipur’s Noney district in the intervening night of July 15 and 16 triggered flash floods in Khoupum valley and multiple landslides along two key highways — National Highway-37 and the Tongjei Maril (Old Cachar Road) route — on Wednesday.

“The continuous rain since the evening of July 15, followed by a sudden increase in intensity around midnight, has flooded more than 50 percent of the paddy fields and damaged some houses in Khoupum Tampak (valley),” a resident of the valley said over the phone. “There were also multiple landslides near Gangluan Part 2, about 10 km before reaching Khoupum from Imphal.”

Landslides were also reported at the Awangkhul area under the Imphal–Jiribam section of NH-37.

Also read: Puneet Kumar Goel appointed new Manipur Chief Secretary

Meanwhile, local MLA Dinganglung Gangmei, who represents Nungba Assembly Constituency, inspected the flood-affected areas in Khoupum to assess the extent of the damage and identify locations requiring urgent intervention.

Earlier, the MLA had shared information about the landslides on Tongjei Maril via Facebook, stating: “Multiple machinery is currently working to clear the route, but we request your cooperation in allowing them to work efficiently. Please plan your journey accordingly and explore alternative routes to ensure a safe and smooth trip. Stay tuned for further updates and stay safe!”

The flash flood in the picturesque Khoupum, located about 90 km southwest of Imphal via the Old Cachar Road, was reportedly caused by the overflow of rainwater from Khoupum Dam — the largest irrigation and water supply dam in the region, built over the Machendui River in 1980.

Videos of the sudden flooding in Khoupum valley have been circulating widely on social media since morning.

An official from the Meteorological Centre Imphal (India Meteorological Department) confirmed that Khoupum recorded 225 mm of rainfall during the night — the highest ever recorded in Manipur, surpassing even levels recorded during Cyclone Remal.