Flood exacts heavy price in valley areas
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 21 2011: Besides inundation of several residential pockets in the valley areas, particularly in the twin capital districts, incessant rainfall in the past few days has resulted in massive devastation of food crops and fish farms in many rural areas even as major rivers of the State are flowing in full spate.

At Wangjing section of Thoubal river the flow of water is informed to have breached the river banks while in Lilong area, a confluence of Imphal and iril rivers, the flow is above the warning level, according to a source in Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

While people in several Mayang Imphal and Khangabok Assembly Constituencies have been reeling under flood water along with submergence of cultivation areas, residents of Uripok, Lamphelpat, Lamsang, nambol and Langol Grace Colony are enduring hardships due to widespread inundation caused by heavy seasonal rains.

Inundation of residential pockets in Imphal areas has been blamed on clogged drains and non-completion of various project works.

Langol Grace Colony is said to be flooded for over a month now as digging activities related to sewerage project had choked all the drainage systems in the area.

Large areas of Langol Grace Colony, Lamphel under siege of flood

Water level of some rivers flowing through the valley areas have been constantly rising with informed sources citing heavy downpour in the catchment areas such as Kangpokpi recording 23 millimetre (mm) rainfall in the last 24 hours compared to 18 mm rainfall in Saikul and 21 mm in Litan.

Rainfall recorded at the raj Bhavan and lamphelpat in the same period stood at 12.5 mm and 14 mm respectively.

Upto 6 pm of July 21, water level of Imphal river measured at Minuthong was 784.725 metres (above mean sea level), Lilong river flowing at 780.500 metres, Iril river flow recorded at 784.275 metres, Nambul river said to be flowing at 782.375 metres and Thoubal river level flowing at 780.300 metres.

even though information received in the evening said the breach in the Wangjing section of Thoubal river had been repaired by the locals similar breaching at other vulnerable points could not be ruled out for the water level has not yet receded.

There is also apprehension of breach along some banks of the Nambul river with similar condition prevailing at Lilong area as the water is flowing above the warning level.

according to the IFCD source, all five sluice gates of Ithai Barrage are being kept open since around 7.30 am of July 20 to allow natural flow of Imphal river in addition to Department personnel put on alert to tackle any eventualities.

On the otherhand, some residents of Langol Grace Colony contended that haphazard piling of mud dredged for construction of sewerage project has clogged the drains thereby causing inundation of the residential pocket in and around the area for over a month now.

With over 50 families affected by the flooding there is fear of outbreak of water-borne diseases, they said while expressing strong resentment that no officials of department concerned have arrived there to assess the situation.

In several residential pockets of Imphal area people are compelled to negotiate water-filled large pot-holes or wade through inundated areas for their daily work.

Meanwhile, large tract of cultivation sites and fish farms in Mayang Imphal areas have been submerged under water consequent to incessant rainfall in the last few days.

With over 1000 paris of paddy field submerged and nearly 2000 fish farms overflowed in several pockets of Mayang Imphal, social worker Kongkham Manglem surveyed severely devastated places today and provided 7 kg rice free of cost to each of the affected family.

As multiple cropping is suitable in Mayang Imphal area the paddy plantations facing certain devastation were ready for harvest but due to continuous rainfall rivers are running in full flow resulting in the rise of the Loktak Lake water level consequently submerging vast tract of food-crop cultivation sites.

During the social worker's survey of flooded places under Mayang Imphal assembly constituency it came to light that apart from devastation caused to paddy fields and fish farms many houses are lying under waist-deep flood water.

Estimating total loss of the devastation to about Rs 5 crores, Manglem expressed strong resentment that no concrete measures had been initiated by successive State Government to mitigate suffering of the people of Mayang Imphal from flooding which has become a regular feature in most of the assembly segment that lies close to the Loktak Lake.

He also suggested that sluice gate of Ithai Barrage be properly monitored to enable outflow of excess water from populated and agricultural areas.

Claiming that reports have been received of several flood-affected people, mostly children, suffering from water-borne diseases, he desired that medical camps be organised by the Government without further delay.

Distribution of rice covered Mayang Imphal villages of Phoubakchao Khok Makhong, Phoubakchao Yumnam Leirak, Chabung Company, Kokchai Makha Leikai, Kokchai Awang Leikai, Samushang Shantipur, Bengoon Yangbi, Komlakhong Makha Leikai, Konuma Awang Leikai, Chirai and Konchak Yangbi.