Guwahati: Along with measures to rescue those trapped under the debris at Tupul in Manipur’s Noney, fervent efforts are also being made to unclog the Ijai river. As many as ten excavators are on the job to clear the path to bring the blocked river back to its natural flow.
Speaking to EastMojo, Manipur Water Resources & Disaster Management Minister Awangbow Newmai said it was after the river downstream had almost dried up that people got to learn about the landslide.
The river reportedly changed its course after a significant amount of sediment got deposited along a major portion, which is also hitting the right bank of the river and posing threat of more landslides in the same.
“Now when the river course changes towards the right bank and if the water keeps hitting the bank, the soil will slide further down and completely block the river. Our fear now is that if the river gets blocked again, there are many people downstream who will be affected,” Newmai told EastMojo.
Water on one side of the river rose significantly after it was blocked by debris due to the landslide on June 28. On Thursday, Noney district administration issued an advisory urging people to stay alert and be prepared for any assistance if the condition deteriorates.
“Obstruction in the flow of the river created a dam-like storage condition which if breached will wreak havoc to the low-lying areas of Noney,” the advisory read.
However, over 500 personnel including officials of the Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, Manipur police and local volunteers and around 40 excavators are on the job to widen the river’s water flow together with the search and rescue operations.
Meanwhile, additional teams of NDRF from Assam have been assigned and more teams from Arunachal Pradesh have been requested.
Also read: Manipur landslide: Watch survivor recall fateful night of incident