Torrential rainfall on July 19 and 20 triggered devastating floods and landslides across several districts of Nagaland, disrupting normal life and affecting 12,865 families, according to the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA).
NSDMA Joint Chief Executive Officer Johnny Ruangmei said the disaster was caused by a cloudburst following intense rainfall. The authority had issued a weather alert through SMS on the evening of July 18, warning residents of possible severe weather.
Official data showed that Mon district received 130 mm of rainfall, while Mokokchung recorded 126 mm on July 19. The heavy downpour triggered widespread landslides and flooding, with Mon district emerging as the worst-affected area.
The disaster claimed 10 lives, including nine people killed in landslides and one in flood-related incidents. Besides Mon, the districts of Longleng, Tuensang, Kiphire, Shamator and Mokokchung also suffered extensive damage.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has sanctioned ₹70 lakh as immediate relief assistance for Mon district, including compensation for affected families. An additional ₹10 lakh has been allocated to support volunteers and civil society groups involved in rescue and relief operations. The first phase of government relief has already reached flood-affected families in the Tuli area of Mokokchung district.
Authorities said road connectivity between Mon and Longleng has been severely disrupted, while electricity and telecommunication services have also been badly affected. NSDMA is coordinating with telecom service providers to restore communication networks.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by blocked roads and adverse weather, preventing helicopters from operating safely and making it difficult to deploy National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from other districts.
To assist students stranded in Mon and Longleng, NSDMA is arranging helicopter services so they can appear for the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) entrance examination. Officials said assistance from the Indian Air Force has also been sought, subject to favourable weather conditions.