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Rising waters of Dhansari River with houses submerged at Walford Colony in Dimapur, on Thursday.[/caption]
EM Bureau
Dimapur, July 20 (EMN): After the collapse of bridge over Chathe river which claimed four lives on July 11, the ancient Bridge above Dhansiri river in Kuda ‘B’ Khel, Nagarjan has developed cracks owing to the heavy downpour and rise in water level. Vehicular and pedestrian movements were closed on Thursday and volunteers from Kuda Youth Club (KYC) were seen monitoring, restricting movements along the aged old bridge.
Kuda Youth Club President Vitusielie Sakhrie said Deputy Commissioner Dimapur along with SDO (Civil) Dimapur had inspected the bridge and issued directives to close the bridge. The KYC volunteers will be monitoring the restriction on movements of vehicle and pedestrian round the clock, Sakhrie informed.
As per sources from PWD R&B, the longevity of the Bridge above Dhansiri river in Kuda ‘B’ Khel, Nagarjan is over and a proposal for two lane new RCC Bridge was submitted last year. The source also said the department along with the R&B Minister had inspected the bridge two to three times last year.
Prior to the monsoon battering Dimapur this year, the department had brought to the notice of the R&B Minister on the bridge mid pier tilting. However the recent flash flood crossing its limit has made the situation worse. The PWD R&B official confided that though it is not clear, as per his reliable sources, money has already been sanctioned for new RCC two lane bridge but the authorisation letter has not reached their division yet.
The department official said ‘with the current unsettled political imbroglio and the monsoon, the work execution for new bridge both at Chathe river and Dhansiri Bridge in Kuda ‘B’ Khel, Nagarjan looks grim which will take its due course of time’.
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Rising water of Dhansari River is seen as houses were submerge at Walford in Dimapur, Nagaland on Thursday.[/caption]
Dimapur continues to remain in the grip of flash floods with vast areas in Naharbari and Toulazuma village also inundated in floods. Atohoto Sema, a resident of Naharbari village who is also the co-owner of Nagaland Start-up informed that almost all of Naharbari village were deluged with Wednesday’s downpour.
Although the village did not experience flood like situation on Wednesday, in the early hours of Thursday the water level increased submerging the village leaving around 500 household to evacuate their homes. Those whose house have been completely submerged has been rehabilitated at the Village council school and school while the Naharabari Village Council is providing food for them, informed Sema.
Owing to incessant downpour in the early hour of Wednesday and Thursday around 70 houses have been submerged under water at Thahekhu Block 7 and their families displaced including the Government Primary School, Thahekhu Block 7 and Timothy Theological College falling under Thahekhu Block 4 has also been severely affected, informed Thahekhu Village Council (TVC).
Also, the hanging bridge which connects Block 7 and Thahekhu village have been washed away.
TVC after visiting the area distributed emergency relief to the affected people on Thursday while many of the families have been shifted to homes of their relatives and some of those displaced have been housed at Fellowship Church, Block 7.
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In view of the present disaster which has severely affected Thahekhu Block 7, the TVC has appealed the district administration and Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) to immediately intervene and provide all necessary assistance to the affected people.
It further urged upon the authorities to look into immediate restoration of the washed away hanging bridge or find an alternative.
“With the bridge at Nagarjan been affected and blocked, commuters have rapidly increased passing through Thahekhu village via Railway Crossing which is also in a pathetic condition” stated the TVC. Therefore the TVC has appealed the concerned authority to carry out improvement works along the route for the welfare of the people.
Dimapur District Commandant Home guards and Civil defence and in charge of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Dimapur Akhu Kath informed Eastern Mirror that 100 houses were deluged on Thursday in Toulazuma village rendering them homeless. While the loss of properties is yet to be assessed ten houses were completely damaged by the flood, said Kath.
The Chief Minister today instructed the Chief Secretary to immediately assess the ground reality and submit a report at the earliest while also directing for sanction of Rs. 10 Lakhs to be handed to DC, Dimapur for immediate relief.
Wednesday’s monsoon claimed two lives due to electrocution. On Wednesday one Dipak Kumar Choudhury, resident of Dhobinalla, Dimapur was electrocuted while trying to move away an inverter from his flood -affected house. In a similar incident, on Thursday one Sunil Kumar Singh resident of Ura Colony Dimapur was electrocuted while collecting his belongings from the flood-affected house.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dimapur Kesonyu Yhome has informed that the bridge over Dhansiri river at Kuda B Khel, Nagarjan has been closed as a precautionary measure with immediate effect restricting movements of vehicles and pedestrian. The general public is also informed that the gathering near the said bridge is restricted with immediate effect.
Also the DC has advised all residents living in the river banks to maintain caution and be ready for evacuation whenever necessary while the affected persons are informed to approach the district administration for assistance. The Emergency Operation Centre has been activated to assess and monitor the situation and may be contacted with the following officers- SDO (C) Nyempo Wallim (9612921898) and EAC Kemciyilie (8575872575).