In a catastrophic incident spurred by a powerful tropical cyclone, a family narrowly escaped disaster when two retaining walls collapsed at Ukhrul headquarters in Manipur.
The family would have faced certain death on the morning of May 29 if not for a stroke of luck.
Phungnang K, 52, a resident of Phungreitang, Ukhrul, recounted the ordeal to the Imphal Free Press. “We are grateful that none of us were in the kitchen at that moment,” he said.
“My entire family would have perished that fateful morning, but fortune was on our side. We usually have breakfast around 8 am as my children need to get to school. Fortunately, school was closed due to bad weather, and we had eaten earlier, so no one was in the kitchen,” a visibly shaken Phungnang recalled.
A landslide of stones from the collapsed retaining walls completely destroyed the kitchen and all its contents.
The incident occurred between 8:30 am and 9 am.
The wall had been constructed by his immediate neighbor.
It is noteworthy that heavy rainfall, accompanied by strong winds, has caused widespread destruction in both Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.
The tropical cyclone has devastated several paddy fields, irrigation channels, farms, and uprooted electrical poles, trees, and houses across Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.
