Three still untraceable after Sunday’s boat capsize in Manipur

india

Updated: Apr 29, 2019 20:51 IST

Rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are continuing the search operation to trace three persons missing since Sunday after their boat capsized during a storm in the reservoir of Mapithel dam in Kamjong district of Manipur.

“So far there is no report of any recovery,” said an official of NDRF when contacted on phone on Monday. The dam is 17 km east of Imphal.

There were 12 picnickers in two boats when the storm raged across the state around 4pm on Sunday. Both the boats capsized. Locals rescued nine others but S Rajib (35), S Romen (29) and N Rani (19) from Ningthoukhong Kha-Khunou village in Bishnupur district, could not be traced.

The search operation was initiated by state police and SDRF teams on Sunday. Later, a 22 member NDRF team from its 12 battalion from Arunachal Pradesh joined the operations.

The storm damaged many houses, educational institutions, uprooted trees, electric poles and disturbed power supply.

On Monday, Chief Minister N Biren Singh accompanied by Manipur’s Director General of Police LM Khaute along with other senior officials visited the Mapithel dam to inspect the search operations.