Manipur landslides halt NH-37 traffic, 644 trucks stuck in Jiribam

IMPHAL —  More than 600 goods-laden trucks have been stranded in Manipur’s Jiribam district after landslides disrupted traffic along the Imphal-Jiribam section of National Highway-37 following heavy rainfall in the region.

According to local residents, 644 trucks, including oil tankers, foodgrain carriers, and vehicles transporting construction materials, have remained stranded at Jiribam since Sunday due to landslides at Awangkhul and Nungba areas in Noney district.

“We are also experiencing intense rainfall in Jiribam at present,” a resident of Jiribam town, located around 220 km west of Imphal, said.

The landslides at Awangkhul and Nungba occurred following continuous rainfall across several parts of the state over the past few days.

Meanwhile, an official of ABCI, the road construction agency engaged in restoration work in the hill district, said around 50 goods trucks stranded near Awangkhul, about 25 km west of Noney district headquarters, have started moving after restoration work along the affected Awangkhul-Irang stretch was completed around 5 pm on Tuesday.

However, the official cautioned that the situation could deteriorate if heavy rainfall continues in the area.

Elsewhere, several farmlands and residential areas in Nambol Kongkham Mamang Leikai of Manipur’s Bishnupur district were submerged after the embankment of the Nambol River breached at Kongkham on Monday afternoon.

The 10-foot-long breached section of the embankment was repaired and plugged on Tuesday afternoon, preventing further damage.

Although Imphal, the state capital, witnessed clear skies on Tuesday after two days of continuous rainfall, water levels in major rivers, including the Imphal, Iril, Nambul, and Kongba rivers flowing through the Greater Imphal Valley, remained high.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Imphal Centre, Khoupum in Noney district recorded the highest rainfall in the state on Monday at 82.5 mm. However, rainfall reduced significantly on Tuesday, with Khoupum receiving 9.5 mm.