Situation worsening as 9 die in Tripura, Manipur floods

While two lives were lost on Wednesday, a 50-year-old farmer was washed away by the Khowai river and his body was recovered from Sonalata area yesterday, they said.

Around 2,000 flood affected people took shelter in freshly opened relief camps this morning as water level of the Khowai has been swelling following continuous rain since last night, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Uttam Mandal said.

Currently, 6,000 people are marooned in Khowai district, he said, adding it has caused extensive damage to road connectivity as well as crops.

Vehicular movement has been disrupted in different places of the district as some wooden bridges collapsed due to gushing water.

The Kalilashshar sub-division of Unakoti district, which was badly affected by the flood, is yet to recover from the disaster with over 21,000 people still in relief camps.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Assam Rifles and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel are engaged in distribution of relief materials and providing medical aids to the flood-hit people.

District Magistrate of Unakoti district, Sandeep Rathod said a 110-member team of NDRF had come from outside the state to help the local administration.

Around 40,000 flood-hit people have already taken shelter in 173 relief camps and the number may increase due to fresh flood in Khowai district, said an official of State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOP).

More than 1.5 lakh people remained marooned in two flood-hit districts of Manipur as the disaster management department said today that the situation in the Imphal Valley worsened with the death toll rising to six.

The Relief and Disaster Management in a report said the intensity of flooding has been increasing at Thoubal and Imphal West districts with 1.5 lakh people being marooned.

About 12,500 houses have been damaged and 5,200 people moved out of the area, according to latest reports.

At least 15,100 people have been provided shelter at 101 relief camps and authorities were ensure essential supplies.

The report said the state disaster response force and the state police, with assistance from the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles, were actively undertaking relief and rescue operations in Irong, Maibam, Uchiwa and Kiyamgei areas.

Officials said the water level continued to rise in Nambol and Thoubal rivers in Bishnupur and Thoubal districts.

Meanwhile, flood waters from state capital Imphal has subsided after breaching an embankment at New Checkon area on Wednesday. The damage to the embankment has been repaired.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh was monitoring the situation, an official said.