Old Wahong villagers abate forest underground fire
Source: Hueiyen News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, August 22 2015 :
The mysterious underground fire in Old Wahong forest has continued for months now even though it is showing some signs of abating since the middle of July after villagers drained rain water into the sinkholes to stop the smouldering fire.
It may be recalled that a mysterious underground fire had engulfed an area of about 40 sq.
ft.
in Shitru forest in Old Wahong village and had burned several holes on the ground.
The fire was believed to have continued since March but the villagers came to know it at the end of May last.
Surprisingly, the fire has continued smouldering all through the current seasonal downpour as nothing had been done to put it out by the expert team which visited the site in July.
Villagers said that the forest fire is now gradually diminishing.
A villager Ramshim told Hueiyen Lanpao that after locals drained rain water and water from a nearby pond into the sinkholes created by the bizarre inferno in a desperate attempt to put it out around mid July, the fire has been showing some signs of gradual abating although still smouldering.
Another villager S Horam said that it has been confirmed that the fire is no longer as alarming as before but is still smouldering under the ground.
Old Wahong village having around 35 households is located about some 110 kms towards Indo-Myanmar border from Ukhrul district headquarters and Shitru forest is about 1 km away from Wahong habitation.