Landslides and Floods Ravage Nagaland and Assam

Kohima: A major landslide buried National Highway-29 near the Old Kohima Municipal Council dumping site this week. Mud and debris slammed the route. Hundreds of commuters and vehicles sit stranded. Traffic stands at a total standstill in both directions. Travelers started digging by hand to clear a path. Authorities warn the stretch remains dangerous as rain continues to fall. Workers plan to begin clearing the road soon.

Separately, Union Health Minister JP Nadda toured Mon town on Wednesday to inspect damage in Defence Colony and Techa Ward. Eight people died in the Mon landslides. Nadda met with families at the Konyak Union office. He expressed his grief, stating, "the incident was deeply disheartening and painful."

Mon Deputy Commissioner Wennyei Konyak reported that monsoon rain wiped out bridges and infrastructure. Rendemo Shitio of the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority noted the district received 83.95 mm of rain on July 19. Total rainfall hit 341 mm by the end of the month. Nadda promised that a central team would arrive to help with relief efforts.

Assam also battles catastrophic flooding. Nadda visited Bihubor and Nepali Khuti in Sivasagar district with Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal and Nagaland MP Phangnon Konyak. He reviewed the destruction of homes, crops, and livestock. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that the central government is coordinating with the state to provide financial aid. Officials are still assessing the scale of the damage to livelihoods and infrastructure across the region.