DDMA Dimapur warns against entering wells sans safety measures

DIMAPUR, OCT 9 (NPN): District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Dimapur has warned against entering ringwells and other confined spaces for cleaning or maintenance without proper safety arrangements, following two fatal incidents in the district.
In a public safety advisory, deputy commissioner and DDMA Dimapur chairman Dr. Tinojongshi Chang said two persons reportedly died while cleaning a deep ringwell at a neighbour’s residence in Oriental Colony on October 6, 2026.
In another incident on October 9, the body of a 35-year-old man was retrieved from a ringwell at Darogapathar, Dimapur. The incident was suspected to have involved suffocation due to methane gas inhalation inside the well.
In view of the incidents, DDMA urged the public not to enter ringwells, wells or other confined spaces for cleaning, repair or maintenance without adequate safety arrangements and assistance from trained and properly equipped personnel.
The advisory cautioned that wells could contain dangerously low oxygen levels or toxic gases capable of causing unconsciousness or death without warning. It also warned against attempting untrained rescues, stating that anyone entering a well to rescue an unconscious person could become a victim.
DDMA advised the public to engage trained personnel for cleaning, inspection, repair and maintenance of wells. Before any authorised entry, the atmosphere inside the well should be tested for oxygen deficiency and hazardous gases, with proper ventilation ensured. The advisory cautioned that the absence of an unusual smell did not mean the air was safe.
It also urged the public to keep children and unauthorised persons away from open wells and work sites to prevent accidental falls and other mishaps.
In an emergency, the public was advised to contact SDRF Dimapur at 7005806182 or DDMA Dimapur at 8131924008. The area should be kept clear to allow unobstructed access for emergency response and rescue personnel.
Further, DDMA appealed to the public to take the advisory seriously and refrain from undertaking well-cleaning activities without adequate safety measures and trained personnel, stressing that no cleaning or maintenance work was worth risking a human life.