Youths step up as landslides ravage Nagaland’s Kigwema village

KIGWEMA — Amid relentless monsoon rains and persistent landslides ravaging the state highway and local roads in Seca Khel of Kigwema village, youth volunteers have taken it upon themselves to protect their community.

Seca Youth president Kheto Thorie, told Eastern Mirror that the volunteers have been braving heavy rain to mitigate the damage caused by the landslides, which have severely damaged large sections of the roads.

Using a combination of traditional methods and available resources, the volunteers have been working tirelessly to reinforce vulnerable areas. Bamboo poles and plastic sheets, some provided by the district administration and others purchased by the Seca Khel Council, are being used to manage water runoff and protect the exposed slopes, he said.

Expressing concern over ongoing challenges and the possibility of further damages, Thorie said that landslides have become a daily occurrence, damaging not only the roads but also other utilities including utility poles. This, he said, has rendered some roads impassable and resulted in power outages in the affected areas.

He also informed that at least three houses have been directly impacted by the landslides, with cracks forming both on the ground and walls.

Gardens, animal shelters, and even paddy fields have been lost due to the shifting landscape. Some families have been forced to slaughter their livestock after their shelters were destroyed, and many are relocating their belongings and food supplies to safer locations, Thorie said.

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