Imphal: Over 3300 villages have been completely inundated by floods in Manipur due to heavy rainfall.
Heart-wrenching scenes were seen as women, children and the aged were taking shelter on rooftops and in safe places. Hundreds of volunteers , Assam Rifles, NDRF, SDRF, and Arambai Tengol members of the fire brigade worked the whole time to safely evacuate people.
Seven persons, mostly women and children who were trapped at Kangla Siphai Litan Makhong, were safely evacuated by two teams of SDRF. The team which started at 9 pm on May 31 managed to reach the victims at 2.30 am on Sunday.
Using ropes and fighting heavy water currents, the team members stood firm the whole night in complete darkness. The women were taking refuge by piling up bricks and other materials in a house. With the support of other volunteers, all have safely reached a community centre. Even though thousands of people have been evacuated, about 800 persons had to be evacuated in batches in extremely dangerous operations.
It is estimated that about 1,000 houses must have been washed away, and over a hundred animals also perished in the flood. Landslides have been reported at Tamenglong, Ukhrul, and Senapati districts in about 20 places, affecting traffic.
Volunteers worked hard to reinforce breaches of river banks at Maiba Khul , Khurai Heikrumakhong , Sanjenthong , Kontha Ahallup, New Checkon , Mahaballi, and Koirengei Thumbu Thong in Imphal and Makhrui village, Viewland, Vakho, and Karong in Senapati District.
Hundreds of people helped by Assam Rifles, NDRF, SDRF, the Fire Brigade, Police and other agencies were working on the ground to help the affected people. The Nambul River, which flows into Loktak Lake, is flowing at flood level, and to control the water level, Ithai Barrage has been opened.
Imphal, Kongba, and Iril rivers, which flow towards southern parts of Manipur and further towards Myanmar, are on rampage, inundating large numbers of villages.
The government has advised people living along the Imphal river to evacuate to safer places as heavy rainfall is still continuing. Power, telephone lines were snapped at various places; hence, there has been no electricity in many places since Saturday.
The water levels of all rivers were flowing above flood level; hence, most roads were not safe for travel. Most government offices, including official residences of MLAs and officials, were among those inundated.
Services of All India Radio were affected as it was flooded, and the office of Doordarshan was also affected.
UNI
