Imphal, 3 Jul: Incessant rainfall has caused flooding at several places in Manipur’s Imphal West and Imphal East districts after two major rivers breached embankments, prompting the evacuation of over 2,000 people, officials said on Wednesday.
At least two people have drowned in Senapati River in Senapati district.
The state government declared a holiday for all government offices on Wednesday, while schools will remain closed till Thursday in view of the flood situation, they said.
The Imphal river breached its embankment at Singjamei Oinam Thingel in Imphal West, and the Kongba river at Kongba Irong and parts of Keirao in Imphal East, a senior official said.
The Iril river also overflowed at Sawombung and parts of Ksheteigao in Imphal East.
“Huge volumes of river water entered residential localities… Over a 3-km stretch of the India-Myanmar road has also been flooded and more than 1,000 people were affected,” he said.
Relief and rescue operations are underway for the affected people, he added.
Water Resources and Relief & Disaster Management Minister Awangbow Newmai, while addressing a press conference, said 1,300 people have been evacuated from affected areas in Imphal East district and around 700 in Imphal West.
“They have been moved to safer locations and relief camps… right now the evacuation of affected people is the first priority of the government. Around 24 areas have been affected in Imphal East and 10 in Imphal West. No deaths have been reported in Imphal area but two fatalities have been reported in Senapati,” he said.
At least 20 relief camps have been set up, 10 each in Imphal East and Imphal West districts, officials said.
Newmai said 25 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force have reached Imphal from Kohima while 40 others from Arunachal Pradesh are also scheduled to arrive.
The Centre is willing to send more manpower, boats and life-saving items to the state, he said.
The minister urged everyone to remain alert as the rivers are in spate due to heavy rainfall. (PTI)
Army, Assam Rifles, state police, Manipur Fire Service along with NDRF and SDRF personnel, besides local volunteers used boats to rescue flood affected people as well as distribute packaged water bottles and food packets among them.
Several parts of the northeastern state have been lashed by heavy rain in the last few days. (PTI)