Nagaland: Pangsha range faces brunt of monsoon deluge

DIMAPUR — Heavy, unrelenting rainfall in Nagaland has caused widespread damage, triggering landslides, damaging bridges, and impacting livelihoods across the state.

The Pangsha range in Noklak district has been particularly hard-hit, with five villages facing severe traffic disruption and crop losses.

With the region receiving heavy rainfall for the past two weeks, road access to Wonthoi, New Pangsha, Old Pangsha, Dan Village, and ITC Dan has been severely hampered, isolating them from neighbouring villages and towns.

Pangsha Public Organisation (PPO) President, P Shingnya, informed Eastern Mirror that landslides have blocked most of the major roads connecting Noklak, the district headquarters.

For nearly two weeks, a major landslide that buried two jhum fields had cut off road access to Noklak. Villagers have been working tirelessly to clear the debris, as the town serves as the primary marketplace for essential goods, he said.

While villagers have managed to clear some routes, enough for two-wheelers to pass, the roads are still unsafe, he maintained.

A major bridge over the Chiumong River has been completely destroyed by a rockslide, requiring extensive repairs, while several bamboo bridges that are crucial for connecting villages and providing shortcuts, have also been either washed away or damaged by the rain, he said.

Furthermore, limited mobile network coverage has exacerbated the situation, with only two mobile towers — one at Wonthoi and the other at New Pangsha — serving all five villages.

Shingnya confirmed that despite numerous complaints regarding the poor network, no significant action has been taken to address the issue.

Food security at risk

Adding to these challenges, several paddy fields in the Pangsha range have been submerged by overflowing rivers, including the Lang River, while hillside dry fields have been damaged by landslides.

According to Shingnya, the five villages in the range are home to approximately 1,800 households, with New Pangsha accounting for 700-750, Old Pangsha with just over 400, Wonthoi with over 200, and both Dan Village and ITC Dan with around 200 and 100 households respectively.

The communities are primarily agrarian, relying heavily on their harvests for sustenance throughout the year. With the sowing season coming to an end, the inability to replant lost crops has left villagers anxious about next year’s food security, he lamented.

Puhen, a resident of New Pangsha, told this newspaper that he is worried about feeding his family of nine, as he has lost his paddy fields and part of his dry fields.

Another farmer, Peki, said that his paddy field, along with a newly built farmhouse, has been completely destroyed. Only a small portion of his dry field remain.

Chairman of Old Pangsha village, L Thango, who joined other officials in surveying the damage caused by the deluge, assessed that more than 100 paddy fields and at least eight bridges connecting neighbouring villages and towns were damaged.

While some roads are still motorable, Thango cautioned those travelling in the region, as many sections remain susceptible to further landslides and rockslides.

He said that village representatives are hoping to meet with the Deputy Commissioner in Noklak to discuss relief efforts, but their journey has been delayed due to the hazardous road conditions.

Likewise, officials from the district headquarters cannot visit the affected villages because of damaged roads, he said.

Further, he noted that the impact on education may also be severe as most schools are reopening after summer vacations. With roads and footbridges impassable, many children are unable to attend school.