Heavy rain and hailstorm in Manipur damage homes, crops, and disrupt power; relief teams activated in Bishnupur, Kakching, and Thoubal districts. Several houses, structures, and standing crops were damaged as a storm with heavy rain and hail swept across parts of Manipur on Sunday, disrupting power supply in multiple areas.
The storm, which began on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, destroyed many standing crops, including cabbage, peas, and beans, in Bishnupur and Kakching districts. No human casualties were reported, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.
Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has directed officials to take necessary measures. In view of the heavy rains and hailstorms affecting several parts of the state, strict directions have been issued to concerned officials to take immediate measures to mitigate the impact on affected families and communities, Khemchand wrote in a post on X.
Relief teams have been activated to ensure timely assistance and access to essential needs. The Government stands firmly with every affected citizen and will continue to monitor the situation closely, he added. Houses in Moirang Phiwangbam and Thanga-Ngaram localities near Loktak Lake in Manipur’s Bishnupur district have been severely damaged, residents said.
Many parts of Bishnupur district, where the largest freshwater lake Loktak is located, including roads, villages, and paddy fields, were swathed in a white carpet on Sunday afternoon after a sudden 30-minute hailstorm at around 1 pm. Similar incidents were also reported from Tentha area in Thoubal district, Sekmaijin in Kakching district, and Champu Kangpok, a floating village on Loktak Lake, on Sunday. Jiribam, located in the westernmost part of the state and bordering Assam’s Cachar district, witnessed intense rainfall unlike the rest of the state, according to data provided by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/heavy-rain-hailstorm-hit-manipur-several-houses-crops-damaged-101773588069178.html