Manipur: Heavy rain triggers flood and landslide

Our Correspondent Imphal, June 13 (EMN): Incessant rain has caused havoc in the last three days including flood and landslide at many places in Manipur. The state government declared holiday for all government establishments excepting the police, fire services, water resources, health, revenue, works, public health engineering departments, municipality, and deputy commissioner offices on June 13 Wednesday on account of ‘sudden flood.’ While the education department declared holiday for all government and private educational institutions on account of ‘grim flood situation,’ for the next two days. The situation has worsened after the Imphal river and Kongba riverbanks were breached at New Checkon and Kongba Uchekon areas in Imphal East district. Yaiskul and Wangkhei constituencies suffered the impact of flood when Imphal river breached a 40 feet length in the riverbank during the early hours on Wednesday. It also submerged large residential areas in Imphal East districts including VIP colonies. Besides, important government offices including the All India Radio Imphal which had to be suspended temporarily following the flood. Residents of Thongju and Kshetrigao constituencies also faced similar fate as Kongba river breached near Kongba (Uchekon) Lai Moriba in Imphal East district. Hundreds of localities in Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, and Thoubal districts faced flash flood after several rivers including Imphal, Nambul, Nambol, Thoubal, and Maklang overflowed at many places while many of them vacated their houses after flood water entered their homes. The rain and flash floods also destroyed crops in many places. While the valley is reeling under flash flood, landslide on Imphal–Jiribam highway cut off road connectivity between the state capital and three district headquarters namely: Noney, Tamenglong, and Jiribam. Around 200 feet of the national highway 37 between Sinam and Laijang villages in the Imphal–Jiribam sector broke off on Wednesday morning which forced to suspend the normal vehicular movement, sources said. Unlike last year, there is no report of flood in hill districts including Senapati and Churachandpur in particular. ‘However the Senapati river which currently flows above the danger level will create havoc, if the rain continues tonight,’ said a resident of Senapati, a hill town, 60 km north of Imphal. On Tuesday, the state relief and disaster management department had appealed to the district authorities “to take up precautionary measures as there is possibility of flood and landslide due to incessant rain,” as authorities predicted heavy rain at few places till June 15. Local bodies in association with district authorities have opened more than 20 relief camps in Imphal West and Imphal East districts. The state power supply agency, Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited, also issued three helpline numbers (7640081232, 7640081235, and 7640081238) for lodging complaints considering the current flood situation.