Imphal/New Delhi:

The water level in Nambul River in the heart of Manipur’s capital Imphal suddenly rose and breached the riverbank in many areas on May 30, after heavy rain brought by Cyclone Remal battered the state.

The valley areas had not completed rebuilding many homes damaged by a strong hailstorm in early May. The floods added to the hardships, with thousands of people displaced by the Meitei-Kuki ethnic clashes still living in relief camps.

While the army, Assam Rifles, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and its state counterpart SDRF, police, and minor irrigation and fire department personnel coordinated for rescue and relief work – drawing huge thanks from leaders and the public – two BJP MLAs also got their hands dirty in cleaning up the city, building embankments, and clearing rubbish from Nambul river.

In mobile videos taken by residents involved in relief work, Manipur’s Public Health Engineering Minister Leishangthem Susindro was seen driving a huge bulldozer towards the Nambul riverbank.

There, he spoke with another BJP MLA, Rajkumar Imo Singh, before swinging the long, metal arm of the bulldozer and scooping out rubbish from the river. These had blocked the water flow, and worsened the flood.

Mr Susindro wore heavy-duty rubber boots to drive the excavator on tracks – a size, or two bigger than the common yellow bulldozer.

Mr Singh, too, in t-shirt, shorts and rubber slippers was seen walking on a bridge with locals to see how to clear the water flow. “This removal of all the wastes from the Nambul River will ensure smooth flow and less flooding near the surroundings of Sagolband and Uripok,” he said in a post on X.

Floodwater has receded from many areas in the valley now. The weather office had forecast no rain from June 2. Though some states in the northeast are likely to see light rain.

In the past four days, five districts – Imphal East, Imphal West, Kangpokpi, Senapati, and Jiribam – were badly affected, with landslides in many areas. Flood water had also collected in some areas of Churachandpur, with residents coordinating to help out those in need. Major roads, including the Imphal-Silchar National Highway, were also flooded and blocked by landslides.