Nagaland floods: State requires Rs 800 crore 'immediately' for restoration work

Reeling under unprecedented floods, the Northeastern state of Nagaland requires around Rs 800 crore 'immediately' for the restoration of the damages caused by landslides and flash floods, official sources said on Monday. 

Nagaland has been battling landslides and floods since July 26. At least 12 people have lost their lives and over 3000 families have been displaced while properties worth crores of rupees were damaged.

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“The unprecedented series of disaster in Nagaland has affected at least 13.19 per cent of the total population of the state and severely affected 48,821 families in 532 villages while an area of 5408.57 acres agricultural sector has also been impacted,” Home and State Disaster Management Authority Secretary Rovilatuo Mor said, adding that about 359 locations of roads have been totally cut off sending the state into an SoS situation.

Tuensang, Kiphire and Phek districts were cut off from the rest of the state for about 15 days due to the incessant rains.

Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) and the department of Food and Civil Supplies in collaboration with the Indian Air Force made numerous sorties to these districts to airdrop essential supplies.

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Mor said roads had been cleared to some extend and essential commodities were being reached to interior areas including Kiphire district by road.

"Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju had arrived in Dimapur on August 5 to survey and assess the situation. However, inclement weather did not allow him to take an aerial survey of the situation and therefore on the recommendation of the Union Minister an Inter Ministerial Central Team is to visit Nagaland from the September 4 to 7 to make an on-the-spot assessment of the monsoon damages," Mor added.

(With inputs from agencies)