Incessant rains, landslides in Manipur, one drowned

Incessant rains and landslides along the mountainous National Highway (NH) No.37 have claimed one life and blocked supplies of food and medicines in Tamenglong district of Manipur.

More rainfall is forecast over the next two days.

A tribal, identified as Manchudai Gangmei, 45, drowned in the swollen Izei river in Tamenglong district on Thursday. His body was recovered on Friday.

The roads have been flooded or blocked, disrupting the transport of food, medicines and other essential commodities from Imphal and Silchar in Assam to the district.

Officials fear that rains may also have caused landslides along NH 2, a mountainous highway which snakes through Nagaland.

Some of the empty trucks moving from Imphal have returned since it would not be possible for them to proceed towards other states for some days for fetching consumer items and fuel.

The goods-laden trucks and other vehicles bound for Imphal also are stranded on way.

The drivers and passengers of the stranded vehicles are buying anything eatable from the nearby tribal areas. Being poor, the people in villages do not have much by way of eatables to sell to the stranded persons.

As water levels are increasing, the chances of the suspension and bailey bridges being swept away by the strong currents of the mountainous rivers are high, officials say.

In the recent past some such bridges have been washed away. In view of the weak and wobbly bridges the authorities have restricted the quantum of goods trucks can transport over them.

NH 37 and NH 2 are the only two lifelines of Manipur.

--IANS

il/kb/vt