Phalee Church partially sinks
Source: The Sangai Express

Ukhrul, July 13 2017: A portion of Phalee (Phadang) Ngarumphung Baptist Church, Ukhrul (Phalee, earlier name Phadang, is a village located on the western side of Ukhrul district) has sunk to more than two feet and developed a crack measuring about a foot which has panicked the villagers .

Following the heavy downpour on July 11, the river which flows near the village has also overflown and flooded the paddy fields of Khamshang and Changri area .

Pastor of Phalee Church Rev Y Kharewo said taking note of the damage caused to the village Church, members of the Church have constructed mud bunds to prevent water flow to the sunken portion as immediate measure .

Some of the Church leaders informed that Phalee village Church was constructed in 1985 with a sitting capacity of 3000 and added that any natural calamity hitting the Church will be a great loss to the people .

Phalee Church partially sinks

Apart from the Church, the approach road to the village via the Church has been blocked by a landslide, while the village guest house constructed adjacent to the Church building has also sunk .

Phalee village chairman RN Somingam said that the eastern side of the Church measuring about 300 square metres has been badly affected and in case the mud slips, at least 10 houses would be damaged .

The chairman further said that with the rapid rise in the water level of the rain due to the incessant rainfall, paddy fields situated along the river banks at the neighbouring villages of Talui, Somdal and Ngainga have been flooded .

The fields fed by Changri river is the rice bowl of the villages, he said and added that Kongrei river which flows through the same belt is one of the main tributaries of Thoubal river.

He also mentioned that three residential houses, one at Awungtang and two at CV, have been destroyed due to the landslide.

During an interaction with the villagers, chairman of Western Tangkhul Villages Association (ZTKL) R Mangang asked them to consult experts so as to enable them to protect the vulnerable Church building .

Phalee village chairman has sought the Government’s immediate attention and appealed for a spot survey at the earliest to get a first hand account of the situation .

Phalee village situated about 40 kilometres from Ukhrul district headquarters under LM block.