By: Lt Col JS Sodhi (Retd), Editor, GSDN

As the incessant rainfall since the midnight of May 27, 2024 created havoc and caused flash floods and mudslide leading to the breaching of river embankments and heavy flooding in and around Imphal, the Government of Manipur lost no time in requisitioning the Indian Army as thousands were stranded in the floods that the heavy downpour had caused within a few hours. The Imphal Valley also called as the Manipur Valley, which measures 57.92 kilometers from north to south and 32.19 kilometers from east to west at its broadest, and having an area of 1864.44 square kilometers was turned into a lake.  

The Red Shield Division of the Indian Army lost no time in the time of this calamity and being the first responders to the catastrophe that had befallen this pristine and picturesque valley, deployed Columns for Rescue & Relief and have so far been successful in rescuing more than 5000 stranded persons. The rescued individuals included people staying in residential houses, students from hostels, residents from Nagram, ISBT, Dewlahland and surrounding areas and also patients including new born babies from the flood affected Little Clinic Hospital in Imphal East district of Manipur.

The Red Shield Engineers, part of the Red Shield Division also successfully provided support to the Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor of Manipur, by employing a Column which has enabled the Secretariat to function even in this tough and trying times. The Columns of the Engineer Regiment also successfully rescued two journalists including a foreign national. Mr Geetratha Pathak, President, Indian Journalists Union and Mr Ayub Bhuiyan, Joint Secretary, National Press Club, Dhaka, Bangladesh were rescued from the flood-hit Manipur Press Club.

The Red Shield Engineers also provided help to the Civil Department, Government of Manipur in plugging the breached embankment in the Kontha Khabam area due to torrential rains which has drastically reduced the inflow of water to low lying areas and caused severe flooding including inundation. The Sappers, as the Army Engineers are also known as, swiftly plugged two gaps where one of the gaps of 22-25 meters was plugged by creation of bund and saved an impending disaster which would have gravely affected 1.5 lakh residents.

The heroic and tireless efforts in the Rescue & Relief operations of the Red Shield Division including medical aid and delivering essential supplies are truly appreciable and admirable and are in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.