North East floods: Two killed in Manipur, four die in Tripura due to heavy rain

Two people, including a child, have died in the last 24 hours in Manipur’s Thoubal district following torrential rain, Imphal Free Press reported on Thursday. At least a hundred houses have been flooded by the overflowing Thoubal river.

All schools in the Imphal Valley will remain closed till Friday. Imphal and Nambul rivers have been overflowing since Monday because of incessant rain. The government has set up relief camps at several places for the displaced residents. Several low-lying areas in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishenpur districts have been inundated, Firstpost reported.

NH37, which links southern Assam to Manipur, was cut off following landslides, stranding commuters on either side of the border, NDTV reported. Power supply has also been disrupted.

Tripura

At least four people have been killed in the last 48 hours in Tripura as thunderstorms and landslides hit several districts of the North East, NDTV reported. State Disaster Management Authority said flood situation was critical in the South Tripura, Dhalai, North Tripura, Khowai and Gomati districts.

“We have kept ready a Pawan Hans helicopter and sent requisition to the Indian Air Force to provide two more copters to rescue marooned people and to provide relief to the affected families if necessary,” an official of the Tripura Disaster Management Control Centre told IANS.

Over 15,000 people comprising 6,500 families displaced by the floods have taken shelter in around 200 relief camps in northern Tripura.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb made an aerial survey of the worst-affected northern parts of the state and urged people residing in low-lying areas to move to safer places or relief camps.

“Appraised [Union Home Minister] Rajnath Singh about the flood situation,” he tweeted. “Requested for assistance from the Army for rescue operations in a few critical locations. The Home Minister’s Office has assured all necessary support from the Centre.”

Assam

The districts of Biswanath, Karbi Anglong East, Karbi Anglong West, Golaghat, Hailakandi and Karimganj have been affected in Assam, according to the State Disaster Management Authority’s report on Thursday. The floods have affected around 1.4 lakh people in Assam but there have been no reports of any casualties.

Karimganj in Barak Valley remained the worst-hit as Longai river overflowed. At least 124 people have been evacuated in the district.

Train services in the Barak Valley were suspended as landslides buried tracks in at least five places. All 21 ferry services on the Brahmaputra were also suspended owing to rising water levels, Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury, director of Assam’s Inland Water Transport, said.

Mizoram

Heavy rain continued to lash parts of Mizoram on Thursday, cutting off Lunglei, Lawngtlai and Siaha districts from the southern parts of the state, PTI reported citing unidentified state disaster management and rehabilitation officials. In Lunglei district, at least 60 homes have been submerged since Tuesday.