Flood situation worsens, many areas under water Iril river bank breaches, 70 year old man washed away

IMPHAL, Sep 15 : With the water levels of almost all major rivers rising, riverbanks have breached at some points and the flood situation in several places across the valley have worsened.
The situation at Thoubal district remained grim with the Thoubal River overflowing and causing widespread floods in several localities and inundating hundreds of acres of agricultural fields.
Iril River bank caved in at Kshetri Awang Leikai area this afternoon, and a 70-year-old local was carried away by the strong water current.
The incident occurred at around 3.30 pm today when efforts were on to plug around 200 metres of the breached section of the Iril riverbank.
Locals, police and authorities of the Government were engaged with the repairing work when the 70-year-old man identified as Md Ramjal fell into the river and was carried away by the strong current.
Search and rescue efforts were still underway till the time of filing this report.
Locals said the riverbank in the area has been breached three times this year, causing flooding in the area.
Due to intermittent rainfall since the last couple of days, the water levels of Imphal River,  Nambol River, Thoubal River and Manipur River were rising till 5 pm, while the water levels of Iril River and Nambul River slightly fell.
The Imphal River at Minuthong gauge site was flowing at 786.425 metres, slightly below the Flood Level (786.900 m) at 5 pm.
While this was a slight fall from 786.575 m--measured at 6 am, the water level at another gauge site at Lilong was increasing.
The Imphal River's water level at Lilong gauge site increased from 782.850 metres at 6 am to 783.250 metres above the Flood Level (781.350 m) at 5 pm.
The Iril River's water level at the Irilbung gauge site saw a slight fall in the afternoon. The river was flowing above the Flood Level but below the High Flood Level at 788.425 metres at 6 pm--a fall from 788.850 metres at 5 am.
The Nambul River's water level at the Hump Bridge gauge site also fell slightly from 782.350 metres at 5 am to 782.100 metres at 5 pm.
The Nambol River's water level at the Nambol gauge site saw a rise from 773.625 metres at 6 am to 773.675 metres at 5 pm--slightly below the High Flood Level of 774.400 metres.
The Manipur River's water level at Ithai Barrage gauge site rose from 769.450 metres at 5 am to 770.05 metres at 5 pm--above the High Flood Level of 769.320 metres.
To control flooding, all the gates of the Ithai Barrage have been opened, said the Water Resources Department.
Four gates of the Imphal Barrage have been fully opened, and all gates of Shamushang Regulator have been closed. Three gates of Thoubal Barrage have been partially opened and others are closed, said the Department.
With the Thoubal River overflowing since early morning, several places of Thoubal and Imphal East district have been flooded.
Thoubal police station, Transport office and several Government offices on the east of the Asian Highway have been flooded. Several schools in the district were closed.
Locals said the flood occurred "very quickly and suddenly" due to "opening of Maphou Dam shutters".
Places in the downstream of the Maphou Dam--Moirangpurel, Keithelmanbi, Nungbrang, Leirongthel, Nungaipokpi, Malom, Changamdabi, Heitroiopokpi, Malom Jaliyanbi, Khoirom etc have been affected by floods.
Thoubal district's Yairipok Bishnunaha, Bamon Leikai, Siphai Leikai, Huidrom Leikai, Singa, Wangkhem, Phouden, Thoubal Kshetri Leikai, Haokha, Wangmataba Mathak Leikai, Wangmataba Maning, Awang Leikai, Ningombam, Sabaltongba, Moijing, Leishangthem and Thoudam etc have been flooded.
Officials of the Thoubal district administration led by Deputy Commissioner Hannah Kahmei were conducting inspections at affected areas.
Several localities in Wangjing-Tentha Assembly Constituency have also been affected by floods.
Main Flood Control Room, Khuyathong may be reached on Telephone Numbers 0385-2451550 and 9774660984.