Manipur records highest rainfall since May 2013

Our Correspondent

Imphal, June 5 (EMN): The month of May 2022 recorded the highest rainfall in Manipur state since 2013 with 257.93 mm rain, according to the directorate of Environment and Climate Change weather daily reports. The highest rainfall for May during the last 10 years was last recorded in 2018 at 225.31mm.

Interestingly, Tamenglong district recorded the highest rainfall among all the 16 districts with 540 mm in May this year, followed by Kangpokpi and Noney districts with 382 mm and 375 mm rain, the official reports said.

Kakching district recorded the minimum rainfall with just 159 mm rain, it added. The high rainfall in Tamenglong and Kangpokpi districts in the state during May month had even caused flash floods in low lying areas of Tamenglong, Imphal West, Imphal East and Jiribam districts due to sudden rise of water level of Barak and Imphal rivers.

There were also reports of landslides in Kangpokpi district during the said period.

On May 12, the Imphal-Jiribam sector of National Highway 37, which is considered as Manipur's second supply route, had been cut off after a bailey bridge over Irang river collapsed after torrential rain washed away the foundation of the bridge, people familiar with the development said on Thursday.

It may be mentioned that the National Highway 102B which connects Mizoram had also been cut off after the torrential rain washed away the newly constructed road diversion in Churachandpur district on May 11.

Earlier, an official of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Manipur Centre had informed that this year monsoon has advanced in the northeastern state. The rainfall since January this year was in excess of normal rain except March, he added.

In 2017, Manipur’s capital Imphal received the highest rainfall since 1956, recording 2,439.4 mm till December 13 or 68.71% above the state’s annual precipitation of 1446.3 mm, the ICAR Imphal centre said. In that particular year, highest rainfall was recorded on March 31 (103.4 mm) and highest monthly record in December with 116.3 mm of rain till December 13.