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Manipur capital Imphal witnessed its worst flooding in recent times that affected thousands of people Wednesday as the Northeast continued to reel under the effects of cyclonic storms which wreaked havoc in the region a day earlier.
Both the Imphal and Nambul rivers — which flow through the Greater Imphal area and have been above the danger level since Tuesday — breached their banks in multiple areas.
Consequently, several localities had waist-deep flooding.
At least two people were also killed in storm-related incidents in the hill district of Senapati. Rescue operations are underway to evacuate those stranded in low-lying areas to higher ground.
According to officials, a 34-year-old man died in a landslide on the Senapati-Thonglang Road and three others were injured and hospitalised in the same incident. An 83-year-old woman drowned in the Senapati river.
According to an official of the State Relief and Disaster Management Department, flood wreaked havoc in almost all the districts in Manipur with Imphal East being the most affected in the valley and Tamenglong in the hills.
“We are assessing the damage caused by the flood… Our officials monitoring the rescue operations are yet to submit their assessment reports. However, this is the worst flood Manipur witnessed since 1988 and 2015,” said the official, adding that rescue operations are underway
Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey expressed deep concern and said she was saddened by the damage to homes and properties in both the valley and hill districts. “The low-lying areas of valley and hill Districts have been heavily submerged. Additionally, landslides on State and National Highways 37 and 2 have disrupted the main routes for transporting essential commodities,” said the Governor.
A disaster management official said that a large number of NDRF personnel were set to arrive on Wednesday, along with equipment used by IAF to fight to assist in the ongoing rescue operations.
The Assam Rifles in a statement said relief efforts being required at multiple locations, the civil administration requested Indian Army and Assam Rifles to provide columns for carrying out rescue and relief operations on the night of 28 May and by 11 am on 29 May. Over 300 individuals have been rescued in the ongoing relief operations in Imphal by these Security Forces, the statement said.
In the meantime, eight districts of Assam were also affected by floods on Wednesday, with 155 people moved to relief shelters in the Barak Valley districts of Karimganj and Cachar, which were also affected by river embankment breaches. One person in Karimganj also lost their life.
