Flood havoc in Manipur: Over 19,000 displaced, 3,365 houses damaged, 31 relief camps set up

An unrelenting deluge has plunged Manipur into a state of crisis, as over 19,000 residents reel under the fury of overflowing rivers and breached embankments, officials reported on Monday.

Four days of incessant torrential rain, causing Manipur floods have left 3,365 homes damaged and 19,811 people severely affected across multiple districts, with Imphal East among the hardest hit.

Authorities have opened 31 relief camps, predominantly in Imphal East, to provide refuge for those displaced by rising waters. Among the worst-affected zones are the Heingang, Wangkhei, and Khurai assembly constituencies, as well as parts of Senapati district, where landslides—a staggering 47 incidents—have further deepen the crisis.

In the capital Imphal, chaos ensued as river embankments crumbled under pressure, flooding residential areas and vital infrastructure. The Checkon, Heingang, and Khurai localities saw relentless waterlogging, with floodwaters encroaching upon major institutions including the All India Radio complex and the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).

Several patients receiving treatment at JNIMS in Porompat were forcibly relocated on Sunday evening after waters breached the ground floor, flooding critical wards. “The female orthopaedic and surgery units were among the first to be inundated, prompting an urgent evacuation,” an official stated. The SDRF, NDRF, local clubs, and volunteers worked in tandem through the night to ensure a safe transfer of patients.

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla personally visited flood-hit neighborhoods alongside Chief Secretary PK Singh and senior officials. He toured Kangla Nongpok Thong, Lairikyengbam Leikai, and the Singjamei Bridge, reviewing the state’s flood response. Troops from the Army and Assam Rifles joined hands in relief efforts, rescuing nearly 800 stranded civilians, including 20 differently abled and elderly people.

“The total number of people rescued reached approximately 800 people, including 10 to 20 differently abled and aged individuals,” a military statement confirmed. Assam Rifles' Quick Reaction Teams were swiftly deployed across crisis zones like Porompat, Wankhei, Sanjenthong, Khurai, and other pockets of Imphal East to pull people from rising waters.

The Iril river in Imphal East has crossed the danger level but is yet to cause further embankment breaches, officials said. In response to continuing downpours, the Governor extended summer vacations for schools in Imphal East, Imphal West, and Senapati sub-division until further notice.

As parts of Senapati district remain submerged following the overflow of the Senapati river near Viewland colony, authorities are on high alert, coordinating with various agencies for ongoing relief and rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam has called upon the Governor to officially declare the flood crisis a 'state calamity', stressing the need for institutional mechanisms to be activated.

Manipur Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh lambasted the Water Resources Department during his visit to the flood-ravaged Heingang constituency—represented by former CM N Biren Singh.

“The department has utterly failed to control the floods in vulnerable zones, allowing both residential and agricultural lands to drown while crucial retaining walls remain unfinished,” Singh alleged.