3 dead as heavy rain triggers floods in Nagaland, Assam
NEW DELHI: Incessant rain and flooding have left three people dead in Nagaland since Saturday even as Dimapur, its commercial capital, remains badly hit, officials said on Monday.
“It has been a very grim scenario in Dimapur. Two people drowned in Dimapur on Sunday and Monday while a landslide in Phek town on Saturday killed one and injured three persons,”said Johnny Ruangmei, Officer on Special Duty and the head of department, nagaland State Disaster Management Authority.
With the Dhansiri and Chathe rivers in spate, nearly 17 villages in Dimapur have been affected by floods. “Almost 25% of Dimapur is affected,” said Ruangmei, adding that around 240 people have been rescued by teams of the State Disaster Response Force and the Assam Rifles.
On Monday, the troops of Assam Rifles and the Army evacuated a large number of people from their houses which were submerged due to rising waters of Diphu river in Dimapur area.
“Visited some flood affected areas of Dimapur which are severely affected. Incessant rain has caused flooding and landslide across #Nagaland. @Statedisaster & all concerned agencies are working round-the-clock. I appeal to all to stay safe and lend a helping hand to those in need,” chief minister Neiphiu Rio tweeted on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Assam, nearly 18,505 people in six districts have been hit by floods till late Sunday.
Districts of Karbi Anglong, West Karbianglong and Hojai are the worst hit due to the floods, while landslides damaged as many as 78 houses in Dima Hasao district.
MS Manivannan, the chief executive officer of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, said Dhansiri and Kopili rivers swelled after incessant rainfall.
Two days ago, excessive rainfall led to the officials releasing water from the reservoirs of the Kopili Hydel Project in Dima Hasao district, according to Manivannan.
On Monday, while Kopili water levels stabilised, Dhansiri river was still flowing above the danger mark.“the situation is under control but itcould turn critical in Golaghat for example if water is released from thedoyang Hydro Electric Project in Nagaland,” said MS Manivannan adding that personnel of the National Disaster Response Force have been moved to Golaghat.
Many trains were diverted, cancelled or short terminated in Assam on Monday due to breach of railway track owing to rise in water level between Bokajan and Chongajan railway stations of Northeast Frontier Railway, an NFR release said here.