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Tchutumdan area of Moilan village on the bank of river Doyang has been inundated. Moilan village is in the establishment of the extra additional commissioner of Lotsu. The village is known for large scale production of oranges. A large area of orange farms has been destroyed, according to reports. [/caption]
Wokha, Aug.2 (EMN): The unceasing monsoon downpour across Nagaland has left a trail of destruction in its wake and, now, authorities in Wokha have sounded an alert concerning the rise in the water levels of Doyang River, the state’s biggest water body.
The authorities of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (Neepco) Ltd., stationed at Doyang in Wokha have issued a press release containing a warning to people residing downstream Doyang River. They have asked the locals to be cautious and avoid going for fishing and any other activities by the river’s side.
Meanwhile, it was also reported that water that was being released through a spillway from the reservoir had caused havoc resulting in damage of crop and plantations alongside the river downstream.
Officials could not ascertain the extent of damage or the areas due to bad weather conditions, which was stated to have prevented them from visiting the affected locations.
Reports also claimed that damage has been caused in some parts of Assam along the border areas by the water released from the Doyang reservoir.
Following the Neepco alarm, the deputy commissioner of Wokha, Dr. Manazir Jeelani Samoon, who is also the chairman of the Wokha District Disaster Minister Authority (WDDMA), inspected the site. WDDMA authorities and staff of the State Disaster Response Force are keeping vigil, it was informed.
73% excess rainfall this year
Since the turn of this year till July 31, Nagaland has registered an excess rainfall of 72.68 %, according to the state’s Soil and Water Conservation department.
A press release from the department on Thursday informed that its data on rainfall indicated Nagaland as having received an average rainfall of 1105.3 mm against the normal (long term average) of 640.1 mm during those seven months.
“Except Dimapur and Meluri observatories, the rest 15 meteorological observatories of Nagaland recorded excess rainfall during this period. Wokha district recorded the maximum excess rainfall (departure of + 347 per cent from normal) while Mokokchung received the highest amount of rainfall i.e., 1574.5 mm in Nagaland during this period,” it informed. (See table below)
Kohima damage count: 118 houses since July
Statistics from the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of Kohima has shown that 118 houses have been damaged and 167 families in the district affected by a series of climactic emergencies since July 8 this year, according to a DIPR report. Many roads have been washed away or damaged too.
“The Kohima DDMA in collaboration with various line departments have been monitoring the affected places round the clock till date to assess the damages; spot verifications and distribution of immediate relief to the affected families in cash or in kind. The line departments have been involved in restoration and repairing of the damaged roads along with their machineries, manpower and equipments,” it reported.
Citizens have been asked to call the numbers 1070 and 0370-2291120/2291122 for cases of emergency.
The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) has issued a ‘tentative’ schedule for ‘airdropping of essential commodities’ by the Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force to four districts hit by the recent monsoon rains.
A press release from the agency on Thursday informed that operation will begin at 9.30 am (subject to weather conditions) tentatively on Aug. 3 for the following districts:
The Lok Sabha Member from Nagaland, Tokheho Yepthomi, has informed the House on Thursday about the monsoon crisis in Nagaland.
According to a press release from the public relations officer at Nagaland House in New Delhi, Yepthomi informed the Parliament that the situation in Nagaland had worsened from July 26 due to heavy rain and thunderstorm ‘disrupting normal life in the state.’
“The state capital along with all districts particularly Phek, Kiphire and Tuensang districts have been cut off due to numerous landslides. It is also reported that six persons have been washed away in floods and many families have been evacuated from the damaged collapsed houses in the landslides areas.
“Again due to major landslide from one hill top, the River Sidzü in Phek district has clogged the flow of river and an artificial dam has been formed stretching more than 1 km in upstream. The dam may burst any moment which will cause massive damage in the downstream villages and paddy fields in Nagaland and the district of Golaghat and Jorhat of Assam state,” he said.
Tokheho also apprised the House that Nagaland does not have railways, waterways, and airlines within the state for communication; it is dependent on road transport services. He has requested the Union Home minister to ‘kindly send an officer to Nagaland to visit the affected areas in the state.’
