Kohima: A landslide in Nagaland sparked panic in Assam after rumors claimed the Dikhu River was 80 percent blocked. A viral voice message warned that only 20 percent of the water reached downstream areas. This prompted the Sivasagar district administration to issue an official alert on September 30.
Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi eventually cleared the air. He posted on Facebook that the river flows normally. A verification team visited the site to confirm his findings. The landslide occurred in a forest roughly 5 kilometers from Yongshei village. Fishermen first noticed the slide, which has been shifting for about a week after heavy rains.
Tenau Phom, secretary of the Yongshei Village Development Board, could not identify the person behind the alarmist voice message. Village Council chairman Thingyang led the inspection team. He dismissed claims of an immediate threat to Nagaland or Assam. "The landslide spot is near Yaongyimsen village, near to Yongshei where the Dikhu flows through a relatively plain terrain. The flow of water doesn’t look worrying," Thingyang stated.
Locals continue to monitor the area. Future conditions remain uncertain. This follows an earlier landslide in July at nearby Yongnyah village. That slide blocked the Shepe River, a tributary that feeds into the Dikhu. Thingyang noted the Shepe blockage caused noticeable water level rises and damaged farmland in Chingong village in years past.
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