Imphal, June 4 (UNI) Over 1.7 lakh people have been affected by flood while a person has died as rains have affected normal life in Manipur for a week. The affected people have been sheltered at about 80 relief centres, officials said on Wednesday.

Government sources said about 36,000 houses were washed away by the flood and about 102 landslides cut off roads and communications. Many hospitals, including the main state referral hospital, JNIMS, have been closed down.

Residents in many areas have complained about power outages and erratic mobile and internet services in the state. Most shops are closed down as supply of food, medicines, essential items were affected due to landslides. There is an acute shortage of drinking water as all normal water distribution systems have stopped.

Online payments are stuck due to the absence of internet services and most ATMs were closed down. People are rushing to the main SBI headquarters which was not affected by the flood.

The Khwairamband Keithel at Imphal, the main market run by women, is operational amid depleting stocks of essential commodities.

Imphal East district is the most affected area as three main rivers, the Imphal, Iril and Kongba, are flowing at danger levels. A Water resources department official said that heavy rains at the catchment areas of Imphal and Iril rivers at Kangpokpi district were continuing.

Over 4,000 people, mostly senior citizens, children, including patients at hospitals have so far been evacuated by Assam Rifles, SDRF, NDRF, MMTA, Arambai Tengol, COCOMI, Fire Brigade, Red Cross and other volunteers. Hundreds of local volunteers are providing water and food daily to the people who could not come out from their houses.

The affected people are being helped by personnel of Assam Rifles, Army and Arambai Tengol to ferry medicines and transport people using boats.

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