Imphal: Flash floods in the Imphal East district of Manipur caused extensive damage to the vast paddy plants by submerging them, washing away saplings with water, debris, and mud, and destroying the fields themselves, leading to significant crop losses.
The heavy rains on Monday night caused extensive losses to the potential food shortages for farmers who rely on paddy cultivation for their livelihood.
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The damage can range from extensive areas of submerged fields with destroyed crops to entire fields being covered by logs, stones, and slush, as seen in the villages of Yaingangpokpi, Shantipur Khongbal, and Shaobungkhok Khunou, under the Lamlai assembly constituency in the Imphal East district, from 6 am on Tuesday, officials said.
Several houses, fish farms, and paddy fields in the villages of this district have been flooded by the floodwater overflowing from multiple rivulets and streams due to the flash rainfall in the morning on Tuesday.
In some cases, floods also inundate fish farms located near paddy fields, killing fish and destroying infrastructure.
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Paddy cultivation is the primary source of income for many farmers in Manipur. Damage to crops leads to a loss of livelihood and can push families into poverty.
With crops destroyed, farmers face difficulties in providing for their families, potentially leading to food shortages.
The timing of flash floods occurs when standing paddy plants are ripe for bumper harvesting, disrupting the entire agricultural cycle and forcing farmers to start over or face a lost harvest.