Floods: Over 2,000 houses inundated

Imphal, Sep 9: The flood situation in Manipur has been getting grimmer with water levels of all the rivers increasing due to incessant rainfall during the past few days.

Many government offices and over 2,000 houses in the state were inundated by the flood water.

Large tracts of agricultural lands at Thoubal, Imphal West, Imphal East and Bishenpur districts were submerged.

Hundreds of people were staying at relief camps set up by local organisations.

Irrigation and Flood Control (IFC) officials cautioned that if the rainfall continued in the catchment areas, the water level of the main rivers - Imphal, Nambul, Iril and Kongba - would increase.

Many embankments had caved in and hundreds of people, including women, were attempting to save other embankments from caving in.

IFC officials supplied gunny, sand bags and bamboo to help in supporting the embankments.

The government had already declared Red Alert in the state. One person had died due to the flood so far.

IFC Minister N Biren and other MLAs had been touring the flood-affected areas and supervising the rescue work.

Tributaries such as Thoubal, Lilong, Sekmaijin, Sekmai, Nambol, Ingourok and Thangjamrok were also flowing above danger levels.

National Highway 39 and some roads at Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishenpur and Imphal West were disrupted due to the flood and most schools remained closed.

Offices of the deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and dairy farms were flooded at Imphal East district.

IFC officials started a campaign to make the public aware of the precautions to be taken during floods.

Assam Rifles (AR) troops and Indian Reserve Battalion had also joined in the campaign and were supplying medicines and drinking water to the people.

The PRO of AR said rice, dal, sugar and tea were distributed among the affected people.

There was widespread discontentment among the people over lack of relief materials, food, water and medicines.

The government had announced to provide immediate relief by distributing rice. However, people alleged that they were not getting adequate assistance.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department forecast more rainfall during the next few days.

UNI