Landslides block highway in Manipur, at least 500 trucks stranded

Imphal, August 17: Heavy rains triggered massive landslides in Manipur’s Noney district, blocking the Imphal-Silchar highway due to which at least 500 goods vehicles are stranded, officials said on Thursday.

The landslides happened on the National Highway 37 between Irang and Awangkhul part 2, Khongsang and Awangkhul, and Rangkhui village on Wednesday, they said.

Work is underway to clear the road, and re-start movement of traffic, officials said.

Incessant rains over the last few days triggered the landslides, they said.

At least 500 goods vehicles are stranded in different parts of the highway due to the landslides, they added.

In June last year, a massive landslide hit a railway construction site in the district, killing at least 61 people. The landslide happened at Tupul railway yard construction site of the Jiribam-Imphal railway line on June 30.

The supply of essential items is feared to be affected due to the landslides in the violence-hit state, where road blockades, which went on for days, affected the movement of goods vehicles, crippling daily lives.

Ethnic clashes broke out in the state in May, and have been continuing for more than three months, leading to the deaths of over 160 people.    1                        `