Manipur: Residents flee as floods, mudslides create havoc across Senapati district!

Unrelenting heavy rain wreaked havoc across Manipur's Senapati district bordering Nagaland in the early hours of Saturday, causing flash floods in the normally gentle Barak riverbeds of the hilly district and forcing many villagers to flee to safer places.

The difficulties rose with mudslides blocking the traffic along the National Highway 2. There was no report of any human casualty.

An orphanage was washed away due to flash floods at Karong, while mudslides destroyed at least seven houses at Chakhumei, both located along NH-2 in Senapati district.

Another mudslide covering a stretch of nearly 90 feet at Makhan Tabio, about 90km north of Imphal along the same route, blocked the traffic, forcing many outgoing trucks to return. Some Imphal-bound passenger buses and trucks were stranded near Mao gate, according to reports.

Many houses at Karong, a small hamlet on the bank of Barak river 65 km north of Imphal, were submerged due to sudden rise of water level and at least four houses of a colony in Senapati district headquarters, 60 km north of Imphal, were badly affected by flood waters, said sources.

Senapati district deputy commissioner Athem Muivah said the district administration will provide 100 blankets,20 rice bags and other essential relief materials as an immediate measure to the affected orphanage.

"We are also planning to distribute relief materials to the affected villagers, besides taking up other necessary steps," Muivah added.

The flood in Senapati is the deadliest in the last three decades, M Thowo, a resident of Church Road Colony in the district, told HT over phone.

Manipur has been witnessing frequent flash floods after Cyclone Mora hit the state in May. The state has suffered losses of about Rs 213.71 crore, according to the damage assessment done.

So far, 19 people have lost their lives and nearly 85,226 hectares of agriculture land has been affected.

Source: Hindustan Times

Featured image courtesy: An orphanage was washed away due to flash floods at Karong, while mudslides destroyed at least seven houses at Chakhumei, both located along NH-2 in Senapati district.(HT)