Residents evacuating the area on Wednesday. (PTI photo)

IMPHAL: Flash floods submerged huge tracts of low-lying areas in the Imphal Valley , including Heingang , the home constituency of chief minister Nongthembam Biren Singh , on Wednesday, throwing life out of gear.

The situation started worsening on Tuesday evening as the waters of the Imphal and Nambul rivers entered Uripok, Sagolband, Khurai, Singjamei and Wangkhei and Khurkhul.

The whereabouts of L Sitlhou (35), a farmer who was swept away by the strong currents of Imphal river in Kangpokpi district on Tuesday afternoon, are still not known. A search operation is on.

Early on Wednesday, the Imphal river breached its banks in the Keirang area of Heingang constituency inundating about 400 houses and vast tracts of agricultural land. The affected people had to hurriedly leave their homes and take shelter at nearby roads where makeshift camps have been opened. Relief and support materials were given to them.

Straight after landing at Imphal airport on Wednesday morning, the chief minister, along with irrigation and flood control department (IFCD) minister Letpao Haokip and engineers visited the flood-hit areas.

The floods have wreaked havoc in low-lying areas of the state capital, including Sagolband, Uripok, Keishampat, Keishamthong, Singjamei and Khurai and have also damaged houses and crops at Moijing and Leishanghthem areas in Thoubal district. On Tuesday, IFCD minister, along with officials, inspected several places along the river banks to take stock of the situation. The minister provided financial assistance to the affected people.

Though rainfall in the valley areas is minimal, incessant rain in the upper catchment areas for the last few days has resulted in the unprecedented rise and overflow of major rivers flowing in the valley areas, said an official.

