MHA reports 49 disaster deaths in Nagaland over three years, with 2024-25 recording the highest fatalities and widespread damage
KOHIMA — Hydro-meteorological disasters claimed 49 lives in Nagaland over the last three financial years, with more than half of the fatalities recorded in 2024-25, according to data tabled in Parliament by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday.
Responding to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai presented state-wise data on damages caused by hydro-meteorological disasters during 2023-24 to 2025-26 (provisional).
The data showed that 13 people died in 2023-24, followed by 27 deaths in 2024-25 and nine in 2025-26, taking the three-year toll to 49 in Nagaland.
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Damage to houses continued to rise during the period, with 2,002 houses and huts affected in 2023-24, 2,231 in 2024-25 and 2,856 in 2025-26.
Crop losses were reported at 0.03 lakh hectares in 2024-25 and 0.007 lakh hectares in 2025-26. Cattle losses stood at five in 2023-24, one in 2024-25 and 261 in 2025-26.
The MHA also released details of disaster response funding for Nagaland. The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), including the Centre's and state's shares, was allocated INR 40.80 crore in 2023-24, INR 42.40 crore in 2024-25 and INR 44.80 crore in 2025-26.
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The Centre released its share of the SDRF amounting to INR 36.80 crore in 2023-24, INR 38.40 crore in 2024-25 and INR 40 crore in 2025-26, totalling INR 115.20 crore over the three years.
Under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), Nagaland received no allocation in 2023-24. Assistance of INR 181.81 crore was released in 2024-25 and INR 14.40 crore in 2025-26.
Rai said that disaster management and relief distribution primarily remain the responsibility of state governments, while the Centre supplements these efforts through financial assistance and logistical support. Additional assistance from the NDRF is provided for disasters of a "severe nature" based on the recommendations of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team.
The minister said the National Disaster Management Plan and guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority address hazards such as landslides, cloudbursts, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), forest fires and earthquakes, which pose significant risks to Himalayan states.
He also informed Parliament that the Centre has approved the National Landslide Risk Mitigation Project for implementation in 15 states, including Nagaland, to reduce landslide-related deaths and economic losses by strengthening community resilience.