DIMAPUR, Sept 4: At least six persons were killed after a massive mudslide struck Dimapur-Kohima NH-29 at Pherima in the Chumoukedima district of Nagaland late Tuesday night following incessant rain. According to sources, the deceased included five males and a female.
The State Disaster Response Force, along with other government machinery, is continuing search and rescue operations even as the status of missing persons could not be known immediately.
Besides the landslide at Pherima, massive mudslides and landslides also struck two other locations at Tseipama under Piphema, and at Pagala Pahar under New Chumoukedima due to flooding in Chathe River last night completely cut off the National Highway, the lifeline of Nagaland that also connects Manipur.
A large number of vehicles, including trucks carrying essential commodities, are stranded at the three locations after the landslides, with rocks and trees that fell from uphill at Pherima and Piphema scattered around, blocking the road.
A number of vehicles were seen damaged at the sites of the landslides.
Chief minister Neiphiu Rio convened a meeting in Kohima on Wednesday to take of the situation on the highway. He extended his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.
He said the government is providing emergency services and ex-gratia to families of the deceased.
In a post on his X handle, Rio expressed deep concern at large-scale destruction and said the authorities onsite are assessing the situation and helping those affected.
“The State Govt will continue to pursue with the GoI & @nhidcl for immediate measures & restore normalcy at the earliest,” he said.
Dimapur commissioner of police Kevithuto Sophie, in an advisory on Wednesday, urged commuters to take extreme precautions during the ongoing adverse weather conditions and to plan their journeys accordingly.
He also advised against using the alternate Pimla–Mhainamtsi route for travel between Kohima and Dimapur, as it is also affected by mudslides and landslides.
Sophie urged those willing to travel to take the Niuland–Kohima route via Zhadima, which is open for light motor vehicles only. However, heavy vehicles are prohibited from using this route due to safety concerns, he added.
Meanwhile, Kohima DC Kumar Ramnikant also issued a public advisory following panic buying of essential commodities and fuel by the public, driven by a mistaken belief in an impending shortage due to landslides that affected a portion of NH-29 on the intervening night of September 3 and September 4.
He said there is no such shortage and advised the public to refrain from panic buying.
Ramnkant said the district administration is actively collaborating with neighbouring districts to ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential commodities and fuel via alternate routes.
