IMPHAL, July 9 - Movement of goods and passenger buses particularly heavy vehicles have been severely affected due to landslides and sinking of highways connecting Manipur�s State capital Imphal with rest of the country on Sunday.
The sinking of a 60 feet section in Imphal-Jiribam sector of National Highway 37 between Sinam and Laijang villages took place this morning. A heavy landslide also took place at Lalmati sector of National Highway 2 near Kohima, reports said.
Nearly 200 goods trucks, mostly rice-laden trucks were stranded along NH 37. Further, more than 50 Manipur bound oil tankers are stranded at Khatkhati in Assam following the landslide at Lalmati area, reports added.
The State authority has restricted movement of vehicles along NH 37 in order to speed up road repair works. Clearing of the landslide area are also on at Lalmati area in Nagaland.
Earlier, movement of heavy vehicles at Mao sector of National Highway 2 was banned for two days on July 4 and 5 following a landslide there.
Manipur has been suffering from floods, landslides and storms for the last two months due to rain accompanied by strong wind. Manipur Government has declared the disaster as �State Calamity.�
Chief Minister N Biren Singh accompanied by Parliamentary Secretaries Sushindro (Home), Dr Ranjan (Tourism) and Indrajit (MAHUD) on Sunday inspected the flood affected areas in Imphal East district where more than 14,000 hectares of paddy fields are under water.
Speaking to media, the Chief Minister said the government is yet to figure out the exact number of houses and villages that have been affected by flood as more and more areas have been inundated in the last few days.
According to official reports, about 40,000 hectares of agricultural land which is about 20 per cent of Manipur�s total agricultural area have been affected by floods.
On Saturday too, the CM and Works Minister Th Biswajit inspected the flood-hit homsteads and agricultural areas of Imphal East and Thoubal districts.
