Mugdha Das

Manipur: Heavy rains trigger floods; schools & colleges closed in valley districts

Digital Desk: In the wake of relentless rainfall and widespread flooding, the Government of Manipur has declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in the valley districts on Tuesday, September 16.

The closure order, issued by the Directorate of University and Higher Education, applies to educational institutions in Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Thoubal — districts that have been severely impacted by the floods.

According to officials, continuous rainfall over the past few days has led to the breaching of embankments along two major rivers — the Iril and Wangjing — flooding large swathes of agricultural land and residential areas across the Imphal valley.

In Imphal East district, the overflowing Iril river inundated vast tracts of farmland, human settlements, roads, and bridges. Similarly, the Wangjing river breached its banks in Thoubal district, flooding several villages and disrupting normal life. The relief camp at Wangjing Kodompokpi Sports Complex was also reported to be waterlogged, further complicating rescue and relief efforts.

Transport links in affected areas have been severely hit. In Yairipok, a critical iron bridge across the Thoubal river was swept away, cutting off road communication to multiple villages in Imphal East and Thoubal districts.

Emergency services are actively engaged in rescue operations. The Manipur Fire and Emergency Services have rescued more than 100 people stranded in flood-hit areas and moved them to temporary relief centres, including at Yairipok Khoirom Mayai Leikai.

The India Meteorological Department has forecasted continued rainfall over the next 48 hours, prompting authorities to remain on high alert. District administrations have issued advisories urging residents to avoid crossing flooded rivers and to refrain from walking through flowing water due to the risk of being swept away.

For Manipur, the current flooding underscores the growing frequency and intensity of natural disasters in recent years, raising urgent concerns about infrastructure resilience and disaster preparedness in the state.