Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 25 2010:
A high velocity storm accompanied by lightning played havoc at several places in Manipur, seriously injuring four village elders in three different incidents in the last 24 hours.
A cattle was also reportedly burnt to death due to lightning at Patsoi area besides damaging scores of houses at different locations in the storm.
The village elders who were injured due to lightning are Th Jiten, 60 and one Amuthoi Devi, 62 both residents of Tharoijam village also in Imphal West district while Kholi, 55 of Sajouba village in Senapati district and AS Athingla, 52 of Waithou Chiru villages in Thoubal district.
All of them were hospitalized now.
The sudden storm that ripped through both northern and southern parts of Manipur last evening blown away many habitations in four valley districtsThoubal, Bishnupur, Imphal west and East and also the hill district of Senapati areas particularly in Mao, Maram and Sajouba villages wherein many trees and electric poles were fell down.
Former village chairman Hekho of Sajouba told this reporter over telephone that around 11 houses were severely damaged in the storm.
"The storm couldn't even spared the historic and sacred dispersal tree in the village", he said.
Sajouba village about 108 km north of Imphal is one of the sacred place in history as many ethnic communities where they settled and migrated long back.
Roof of many houses in Khoijuman, Bishnupur and Joypur Khunou villages in Bishnupur district, Tangjeng Makha Leikai Kiyam Siphai, Haokha, Salungpham, Lamdeng, Sangaiyumpham, Sekmaijin, Khangabok part I, II and III villages in Thoubal, Mayang Imphal, Patsoi and Tharoijam villages in Imphal West district, Keirao in Imphal East have been blown away in the storm.
Though there was sunshine during the day,the sky remained cloudy in the evening and predicted further rainfall.
Meteorological Office Imphal recoreded a rainfall of 22.6 mm on Sunday.