Flood devastates paddy lands in Kakching

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 25 : A widespread flood has devastated large tracts of paddy lands at Loushi and Irengband situated on the northern side of Wairi in Kakching district.
It is reported that the farmers of the affected paddy lands are  unlikely to harvest rice this year due to the severe flooding and nearly 50 per cent of rice planted in Kakching would likely have perished.
Farmers usually plant "Thoibi Phou" (a variety of rice) at a paddy land situated about 2-3 Kms on the  northern side of Loushi and further ahead in the same direction Taothabi (another variety of rice) are planted apart from rearing fish.
It is further reported that several fishes have died due to the entry of muddy and contaminated water in fish farms and the water level continued to rise at the site where Taothabi is planted . The site where Thoibi Phou is planted has also started accumulating water.
The flood has devastated rice planted at Irengband.
It is assumed that about 1000 hectares of paddy lands have been affected by the flood at Loushi and Irengband.
Apart from the paddy land, either side of Burma-Sugnu road has also been inundated.
Another report said that rice planted at about 50/60 pari (Manipuri unit of land measurement) has been damaged at a paddy land situated on the western side of Kakching Khunou.
The paddy field at Kakching Lourel, however, remains unaffected.