IMPHAL — Around 500 vehicles including goods trucks were stranded on both sides of Imphal-Jiribam sector of the National Highway-37 in Manipur’s Noney district, due to landslides caused by incessant rain, according to sources.
The landslides took place at six different locations between Khongsang and Irang, and Awangkhul part 2 and Irang along the NH-37 under Noney district on Tuesday night following incessant rain in the area since the past one week.
The authorities are clearing the landslide area to resume normal vehicular movement, a resident of Noney town said. So far two out of the six landslide affected areas have been cleared in between Khongsang to Irang and Lankhong to Awangkhul.
Debris of a landslide between Khongsang to Irang was cleared on Tuesday evening itself while those located between Lankhong to Awangkhul on Wednesday afternoon, informed an official according to a source.
Noney district officials and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. are monitoring the situation by deploying necessary machinery including 9 excavators and 6 backhoes to clear the debris at four other remaining locations, another source said.
Meanwhile some of the private and passenger vehicles are trying to take alternative routes via Noney-Tamenglong short-cut and Tongjei Maril routes in Noney and Tamenglong districts.
Vehicles couldn’t ply on the Imphal-Mao sector of the National Highway 2, which is considered as the main supply line of the state, for several days recently after residents of Kangpokpi district headquarters blocked the highway in the wake of the ethnic violence in the state since May 3 this year.
On June 29 last year, Manipur witnessed a massive landslide at a railway construction camp at Marangching village part 5 in Noney district which is located about 75 west of Imphal. Altogether 79 people including civilians, workers, armymen lost their lives during the massive natural disaster.
Also read: Manipur tribals separately celebrate I-Day with march past, national anthem
