Severe Flooding Disrupts Radio Services in Imphal Amid Continuous Rainfall

Flooding Causes Suspension of Radio Broadcasts

Imphal, May 31: The All India Radio station in Imphal halted its primary and FM broadcasts after the 7:30 am news due to severe flooding at its main office on Saturday. The station has been facing challenges due to relentless rainfall over the last four days, but its news division is striving to maintain regular broadcasts from a substation located in Mayang Imphal.

Local Areas Affected by Rising Water Levels

Numerous neighborhoods in Manipur, especially in the Imphal East district, faced flooding this morning as the Imphal River overflowed at various points due to the ongoing heavy rain.

Families living near the Senapati riverbank, including those in Viewland Colony in the Senapati district, approximately 60 km north of Imphal, were relocated to safer areas due to the flooding.

Weather Warnings and Rainfall Records

As the rain continued at the time of reporting, the water levels of other significant rivers, including Nambul, Iril, and Nambol, were also at warning levels.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for five states in the Northeast, including Manipur, forecasting widespread light to moderate rainfall to persist.

In the Imphal West district, where the state capital is situated, a record rainfall of 197.8 mm was recorded on Friday alone, according to the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, resulting in flash floods in various low-lying areas.

According to the Meteorological Centre Imphal's report on Saturday morning, Senapati experienced the highest rainfall at 154.2 mm, a significant rise from Friday's 52.1 mm, followed by Ukhrul with 76.2 mm (down from 83.5 mm on Friday). Tamenglong and Imphal recorded 62.1 mm and 36.4 mm of rainfall, respectively.

Wider Impact of Heavy Rainfall in Northeast

It is important to note that the heavy rains have also impacted other regions in the Northeast. Arunachal Pradesh has reported seven deaths due to landslides, while Tripura has seen the tragic death of a minor due to the torrential rains. Additionally, Mizoram has faced multiple landslides, with five individuals feared dead in Lawngtlai following the collapse of a hotel.