MOREH August 1: Four villages lying near the Manipur-Myanmar border near moreh Town have been cut off after an iron bridge connecting the villages with the border town was washed away last night by the strong river current.
The iron bridge on the Lokchao/ Minal River near the Haolenphai Village along the DC Road connecting Moreh Town with the four villages collapsed last night in the torrential rain cutting off any connect between the border villages and Moreh or other parts of the State.
Now with the bridge washed away, it would be impossible to import any construction materials from the Myanmar side. At the same time two Assam Rifles post guarding the border in the area will find it difficult to move around.
However, till today there is not much drop in the water level of the Lokchao River.
Meanwhile, additional DC N Gojendro visited the area to take stock of the situation.
He had also met Myanmar officials and urged them to help in the movement of the residents of the cut off villages until a new bridge is constructed.
At the moment several houses on the Myanmar side are also flooded due to overflowing of the Lokchao River.
Meanwhile, locals of Moreh are appealing to the government to make the Imphal-Moreh highway free as there is no other way for them to rush to whenever there is an emergency. People have also complained that they are facing numerous hardships including shortage of essential commodities since the highway was cut-off due to the torrential rainfall over the past few days.
It is been two days since the important highway has been cut off, cutting off the border town from other parts of the State.
The Moreh to Pallel stretch of the highway has caved in and witnessed landslides at more than 11 places since the arrival of this monsoon.
Even two-wheelers are unable to pass through at several places along the highway at present. This has resulted in stranding of several persons along the route.
It is also reported that people who are in emergencies are travelling from Moreh to Pallel on foot. Several mudslides are also reported in between Moreh and Lokchao and at Kwatha Lamkhai about 10 kms from Moreh.
A massive mudslide stretching for about 50 meters is also blocking the highway near the Khudengthabi Village.
People have appealed to the highway division of the PWD to clear the highway to enable communication along the highway possible once again.
It is also learnt that the highway has been cleared till Khudengthabi. However, several passenger vehicles are stranded at Khudengthabi.
Around 50 heavy and light vehicles are also stranded on the highway and there has been no electricity in the Moreh sub-division since the past five days.