DIMAPUR: Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) on Monday said coordinated rescue, relief and restoration operations were continuing across Longleng, Mon, Tuensang and Mokokchung districts, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) transporting 107 passengers and airlifting 4.65 metric tonnes of essential relief materials to EAC Headquarters, Namsang, Longleng district.
According to NSDMA, the IAF resumed humanitarian air operations on Monday after sorties were suspended on July 26 due to adverse weather. Two helicopters transported relief materials to Namsang before evacuating stranded passengers to Dimapur.
During the first sortie, the helicopters delivered 1.85 metric tonnes and 1.30 metric tonnes of relief materials and evacuated 22 and 26 stranded passengers respectively. In the second sortie, one helicopter carried an additional 1.50 metric tonnes of relief materials and evacuated 25 passengers, while the other transported 17 passengers from Dimapur to Longleng and evacuated 18 stranded passengers on its return journey.
The evacuated passengers included students, patients and other stranded civilians.
NSDMA said road connectivity in Longleng district remained severely affected by landslides. The Longleng-Tuensang road has been partially opened for single-lane light vehicle movement, subject to weather conditions, while the Longleng-Changtongya, Longleng-Tamlu, Longleng-Tobu, Longleng-Aboi, Tamlu-Merangkong and Tamlu-Namsang roads remain closed.
Relief materials airlifted to Namsang are being offloaded between Merangkong and Kangching for onward transportation. Distribution of the remaining supplies will resume once affected roads are reopened.
Within Longleng town, five families from Shamkang Ward and three families from High School Ward have been evacuated due to land subsidence and landslides. Two houses have been completely washed away, while another has developed structural cracks and has been declared unsafe. Debris clearance operations are underway.
In Mon district, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has distributed relief commodities to 360 landslide-affected families across nine of the 11 wards in Mon town, while over 200 flood- and landslide-affected families in Naginimora have received rice, dal, salt and other essential items. A medical camp was also organised at Naginimora on July 26.
Road restoration by PWD, NHIDCL and BRO is continuing. As of Monday evening, the Mon-Tizit road had been partially opened for single-lane light vehicle movement, while the Mon-Naginimora, Wakching-Tamlu and Mon-Aboi-Tobu roads remained closed.
NSDMA said Government Middle School, Mon Town ‘D’ was severely damaged by landslides, prompting a proposal to temporarily shift classes to the Nursing Hostel, Mon. Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Wakching, also sustained extensive damage, while the bridge between Tobu and Longleng has been severely damaged.
In Tuensang district, 49 families have been evacuated since July 19 due to landslides and land subsidence, including 44 households below the District Transport Office (DTO) and five families from Post Office Ward and Bazar A Ward.
Two unsafe buildings have been dismantled, while demolition of the DTO building is underway. Land subsidence near the DTO continues at an estimated rate of six to eight inches per day. PWD (NH) is carrying out daily crack-filling and maintenance along NH-202.
The DDMA has provided Emergency Relief Fund assistance to 48 families, distributed tarpaulins to affected households and is operating a relief camp at Tuensang Town Hall.
In Mokokchung district, relief operations are continuing in flood- and landslide-hit areas. Relief materials are being distributed to affected families in Changtongya, while a relief camp at Tuli Town Hall is sheltering 19 displaced persons from nine families.
The district administration has deployed a water tanker, restored telecom connectivity, activated a Mobile Medical Unit, carried out house-to-house health screening and stationed six SDRF personnel at Tuli.
NSDMA said NH-02 between Mokokchung and Amguri via Tuli has suffered extensive damage due to multiple landslides, with NH-702D via Mariani currently serving as the main route for essential commodities. Restoration work is underway on roads connecting Changtongya-Longleng, Merangkong-Tamlu and other affected areas.
The authority said it continues to monitor the situation in coordination with district administrations, DDMAs, the Indian Air Force and other responding agencies to ensure timely rescue, relief, restoration and rehabilitation measures. It also expressed appreciation to the IAF, district administrations, DDMAs, line departments, emergency responders, volunteers and all agencies involved in the ongoing operations.
