Dimapur, August 18 : The Rengma Naga populations in the west, along the borders of Assam, are reported to be reeling from floods following recent rains that also reportedly took the life of a child besides inflicting widespread destruction on houses, fields, and livestock.
A good number of paddy fields and houses are said to have been destroyed while a large number of livestock are said to have drowned. A student union stated on Thursday that in Richangarinyu three paddy fields were destroyed; in Nkhenlarinyu, seven houses and 30 paddy fields were destroyed while 29 cows and nine pigs drowned and even a water pump was washed away; in Khowani, eight fields were ‘washed away’ while a child drowned.
Likewise, in Ridonganyu, three fields were ‘washed away’ while 15 fields met the same fate in Phentsero.
“As a result of the flood in Khanari River, the five villages Richangarinyu village, Nkhenlarinyu village, Khowani village, Ridongunyu village and Phentseronyu village suffered enormous losses in terms of destroyed paddy fields, livestock, and house of farmers and to the extent of losing human life,” a source, the Western Rengma Students’ Union of Nagaland (WRSUN, stated in an email to this daily on Thursday.
The students have appealed to the government, civil society, and individuals for assistance in cash or kind for the affected villagers. “Also we would like to appeal to the government to consider providing chopper services for the purpose of dropping relief materials in case the road connectivity couldn’t be restored within these days,” the union stated.
