Operation Jalrahat-2: Army rescues over 1,560 flood-hit people in Manipur

Imphal, June 3 As torrential rains and flooding continue to disrupt normal life in Manipur’s Imphal valley and its surrounding areas, the Indian Army has been at the forefront of relief and rescue efforts under the ongoing humanitarian mission ‘Operation Jal Rahat-2’, officials said on Tuesday.

Manipur Disaster Management officials said that the flood situation in Manipur worsened on Tuesday, with over 1.64 lakh people affected and 35,143 houses damaged by the calamity, after several rivers overflowed and breached embankments following heavy rainfall in the state.

The body of a 57-year-old man, who was washed away in floodwaters earlier, was found in the Imphal West district on Tuesday.

Defence spokesman Lt Col Amit Shukla said that since 31 May 31, the Army has been working tirelessly across multiple flood-affected localities, providing critical assistance to the people of Manipur, operating under extremely challenging conditions.

He said that Army columns have evacuated over 1,560 persons so far under ‘Operation Jal Rahat-2’. Major evacuations have taken place in Wangkhei, where 584 individuals were rescued, and at state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), where 569 people, including 15 medical patients requiring urgent care, were safely evacuated.

Lt Col Shukla said that in Khitai Chingangbam Leikai, 110 persons were evacuated to the safe areas, while 115 were rescued from Laishram Leikai.

Rescue teams also evacuated 65 individuals from Lamlong and 75 from Heinjang, where operations included navigating through challenging terrain and a fast flood stream due to a breach in the bund of the Imphal river, he said.

In a testament to their inclusive and compassionate approach, Army personnel also carried out special missions to rescue three specially-abled adults from different locations.

Equipped with rescue boats, medical teams and essential relief materials, the Army troops have been operating in close coordination with Assam Rifles, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the civil administration, the defence PRO said.

Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent of JNIMS Prof. Kh. Lokeshwar Singh said that given the severe flooding caused by incessant rainfall and Its adverse impact on the JNIMS campus, including disruption of essential services and potential safety hazards, and decision taken in the emergency meeting on Tuesday, it was decided that the medical college hospital would remain closed temporarily until further notice.

This decision has been taken in the interest of the safety of patients, healthcare workers, and hospital infrastructure, Singh said in a notification and added that emergency services, patient admission, and all non-essential medical services shall remain suspended during this period.

Officials said that even as the water level of rivers flowing across the Imphal valley region decreased significantly, several areas of Imphal East district continue to be inundated for the fourth day on Tuesday. Over 640 localities, mostly in Imphal East district, have been affected, and 82.79 hectares of crop land have been flooded.

Various agencies, including NDRF, rescued over 3,920 flood-hit people, while the government has set up 77 relief camps.

According to officials, 102 landslides have been reported from across the state during the last four days.

--IANS

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