Dimapur Floods Claim Student Life as SDRF Rescues Nine

Kohima: Heavy rainfall hammered Dimapur on Saturday, August 8, triggering flash floods that killed one student and forced emergency evacuations. Imnamoa Longchar, a final-year BBA student at Tetso College in Chumoukedima, died from electrocution at his home in Diphuphar. He touched an inverter while trying to unplug the device as water surged into his residence.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) saved nine people as rising waters trapped residents across the district. Rescuers pulled four students from a hostel in River Belt Colony and five others from the Holy Cross School area. The group included two children and one elderly person. Everyone was moved to safety.

The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) blamed the disaster on a deluge starting around 1:00 am. Heavy runoff from upstream hill catchments overwhelmed the drainage network. Major systems like Hospital Nallah, Sugarmill Nallah, and Lengri Nallah reached critical levels. Local infrastructure could not handle the flow.

Authorities identified a long list of vulnerable zones requiring constant watch. These include SM Colony, Vilhume Colony, K Sachu Colony, Zeliangrong Colony, Purana Bazar B, and Kuda Village Road near the Fishery Department Gate. Other zones on high alert are NST Colony, Industrial Estate Colony, Public Ground Colony, Nepali Basti, Niu Colony, Veterinary Colony, Rainbow Colony in Burma Camp, Namgalong Colony, Ragialing Colony, Nesitauo Colony, and Medical Colony.

Residents reported that water levels jumped in just two hours. The DDMA urged the public to stay away from power lines and electrical gear. Officials warned, "Avoid unnecessary movement through waterlogged zones, exercise extreme caution around electrical poles, wires, transformers and other installations." The government continues to monitor the situation with local Colony Councils as teams prepare for further assessments.