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Manipur Assembly speaker Y Khemchand(2nd from right) monitoring flash flood hit singjamei thongam leikai in his Singjamei constituency in Imphal on Thursday.[/caption]
Imphal, March 30 (EMN): Many low-lying areas of Imphal city including the crowded road leading to World’s oldest living polo ground have been flooded owing to the non-stop downpour since Wednesday night, throwing life out of gear even as various rivers are swelling.
The normal life in Imphal town particularly the movement of the public and the students who are appearing in the board and council examinations has been badly affected by the flash flood.
Owing to the overflowing of water coming out of every Leikais(colonies) due to lack of proper drainage system and also because of blocked drainage and rivulets, most of the low-lying areas in Imphal city and its surrounding areas including many places under assembly constituencies of Uripok, Yaiskul, Thangmeiband, Wangkhei, Khurai,Sagolband and Singjamei besides some office complexes have been inundated.
Singjamei MLA and state assembly speaker Yumnam Khemchand was seen busy in monitoring the flash flood situation in his constituency including the areas under Thongam Leikai etc for the whole day.
Many areas in the state including the hill towns have experienced incessant rain late last night. Affected people allege that the flash floods were caused by lack of proper drainage system. This reporter saw piles of solid wastes blocking the drains and poor quality of drains and retaining walls. However they expressed the hope that the new BJP government in the state will take necessary measures to solve current problems.
Meanwhile vehicular traffic was also disturbed due to landslide in between T Laijang and K Sinam along the Imphal-Jiribam sector of the National Highway 37,according to a late report.
The day’s rainfall rate reached 101 mm which is a record since 1954 as per reports available Thursday’s rain fall crossed 100 mm within 24 hours, according to Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Lamphelpat sources.However state’s Directorate of Environment report said Imphal West district recorded highest rainfall rate among all the districts 36.5 mm in the last 24 hours.
Another weather report claimed that the ongoing rain will continue for two more days.
Manipur irrigation and flood control department officials have begun assessing the water level of Imphal, Nambul, Iril and Kongba rivers running in Imphal West and Imphal East districts.
