Manipur grappled with severe flooding in Imphal city in the wake of Cyclone Remal even as the death toll due to weather-induced incidents increased in Assam and Mizoram.
Heavy rainfall saw water of Imphal and Nambul rivers enter Imphal city and submerge several localities, and hundreds of homes along Keirang and Lairiyengbam Leikai following breaches in Imphal river on Tuesday night.
The unfolding situation saw Manipur governor Anusuiya Uikey to express her deep concern over damage to homes and properties in both the valley and hills districts caused by the incessant rainfall due to Cyclone Remal over the past 48 hours.
All schools in the state have been closed till May 31 due to inclement weather.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel were helping in rescue and evacuation operations in affected areas in the valley.
Urging the public to remain calm, Uikey said low-lying areas in the valley and hills have been heavily submerged while landslides on state and National Highways 37 and 2 have disrupted the main routes for transporting essential commodities, severely affecting their supply across the state.
The Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF) said the state is experiencing huge disruptions due to Cyclone Remal.
“Drains are overflowing at several places, flood water has covered many roads as well as houses, government and hospital campuses. Imphal received 121.3 mm rain leading to overflowing of all major rivers leading to destruction and disruption,” a MSF member said, adding their volunteers tried to help residents in flooded areas.
“The MSF, NDRF and SDRF teams still working to evacuate the people,” he said.
This is the second time since May 5 that Manipur has been dealt a blow by nature when a devastating hail storm spell damaged 15,425 houses across the state’s 16 districts besides vehicles and damaging farmland and livestock. Imphal West district suffered the most damage in terms of houses damaged (6055) followed by Imphal East (5600).
In Mizoram, the toll in the widespread landslides that took place in capital city on Tuesday has risen to 29 while seven bodies are still missing, according to the police. Number of houses affected are 163. Search and rescue operations continued on Wednesday leading to recovery of two bodies.
Assam too grappled with storm, flood and landslides on Wednesday in the aftermath of Cyclone Rumal. A two-year-old died in Guwahati due to landslide in Guwahati while two persons died in Cachar due to flooding, taking numbers of people killed over the past 48 hours in the state to six.
Flood has affected six of the 25 districts with Cachar being the worst affected. Altogether 143 villages have been affected and about 1000 persons and 2,27,060 animals affected.
The Cachar district administration in Assam has urged the population residing in low-lying areas to immediately shift to safe places considering the rising trend of Barak river. “For evacuation purpose and case of emergency, people may contact District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC),Cachar with toll free number 1077 and Phone No:03842-239249/234005, Mobile No:94016-24141 and Email-id: ddma- cachar@assam.gov.in,” an official statement said. Barak is flowing over the danger level.
Several areas in Karimganj’s Badarpur have been flooded. Both Barak and Kushiyara rivers in Barak Valley continue to be in spate.
Storm has affected 13 districts and 173 villages with most falling in Dhubri district bordering Bangladesh.
The MET office has forecast light to moderate rain over most places in northeast India over the next 24 hours. Thunderstorm and lightning with gusty wind (30-40 kmph) has also been predicted to lash at some places in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the Cyclone Remal-induced situation through a video conference from New Delhi and directed officials to offer immediate relief to the affected and be on alert mode.
