Nature's fury to continue as Manipur battles flash floods post heavy rains

Incessant rains in Manipur have claimed two lives, inundated many areas in several districts and led to landslides which have blocked both highways connecting the mountainous state to the world, cutting of supplies of food and medicine, officials said on Friday.

More rainfall is forecast over the next two days.

A tribal, identified as Manchudai Gangmei, 45, drowned in the swollen Izei river in Tamenglong district on Thursday. His body was recovered on Friday. On Friday the second victim, a five-year-old tribal girl in Churachandpur district was swept away by the overflowing water of a river.

Many low lying areas in Churachandpur district have been flooded and reports of flooding of low-lying residential and agricultural lands in other districts have also been received.

The 222-km-long National Highway (NH) 37 has been cut due to floods or landslides, disrupting the transport of food, medicines and other essential commodities from Imphal and Silchar in Assam to the Tamenglong district.

Officials fear that rains may also have caused landslides along NH 2, a mountainous highway which snakes through Nagaland.

Some of the empty trucks moving from Imphal have returned since it would not be possible for them to proceed towards other states for some days for fetching consumer items and fuel.

The goods-laden trucks and other vehicles bound for Imphal also are stranded on way.

As water levels are increasing, the chances of the suspension and bailey bridges being swept away by the strong currents of the mountainous rivers are high, officials say.

In the recent past some such bridges have been washed away. In view of the weak and wobbly bridges the authorities have restricted the quantum of goods trucks can transport over them.

NH 37 and NH 2 are the only two lifelines of Manipur.

Irrigation and Flood Control department officials said that employees are kept in full alert along with flood control materials.