Dimapur, July 21 : A number of areas in Dimapur and Wokha district are reporting possible flooding precipitated by erosion of embankments following the ongoing monsoon rains. Concerns have been raised by a community organization in Dimapur similar to that of a government department in Wokha district that has reported flooding besides soil erosion along a vital road.
The Public Works Department of Wokha has informed of landslides and soil erosion along the Wokha-Merapani interstate highway and from the Doyang Bridge to Merapani (22.0-63.0 km) due to incessant rainfall since July 4.
“The public commuters and the transportation of essential commodities were severely hit causing immense 'hardship to the people particularly the areas in Bhandari, Baghty, sanis and Doyang Hydro Project,” the department stated in a press release that was issued to the local media on Thursday.
The establishment of the executive engineer of the Public Works Department (roads and bridges) of Baghty issued a press release on Thursday stating the case.
The press release stated:
“Wokha-Merapani road (Interstate Highway), the only life line road for people of Wokha district has• been extensively damaged from heavy landslides and erosions occurred across the entire stretch from Doyang Bridge to Merapani (22.0-63.0 km) due to incessant rain since 4th July 2016.”
The PWD of Baghty division, under Wokha district, has appealed to the authorities to take note of the matter. The department expressed gratitude to the district administration of Wokha for their assistance in providing fuel and other essentials for mechanical operators such as bulldozers and excavators.
The division also had a good word for PWD workers who the division stated had “been working day and night including Sundays tirelessly for opening the massive landslides and erosion damaged blockage clearance for which the public vehicular traffic could be restored on time as desired.”
The department said in appreciation that the PWD (mechanical) as well as the department of Power had provided bulldozers and excavators to clear road blocks “without which it would be extremely difficult to clear the road blockage on time.”
“The department also express the appreciation to the public for cooperation and patience inspite of severe hardship faced during the last two weeks of emergency works for road clearance and caution the public to be careful while plying along this road for soil instability due to massive landslides likely to occur at any time during this rainy season,” the press release stated.
Also, a local community organization in Dimapur has expressed concern at the reports of erosion and possible floods threatening a village in Dimapur district this week. The Western Sumi Kukami Hoho (WSKH) has called for relief from the administrative authorities of the district for Yeveto village and its surrounding areas from “flooding waters of Zubza river.”
The community organization issued a press release on Thursday stating the concern that the authorities have yet to ‘visit the affected area to take stock of the situation.’
“The Western Sumi Kukami Hoho has raised concern over threat posed to Yeveto village and its sorrounding (sic) areas by flooding waters of Zubza river which is flowing at danger level and causing massive erosion,” the organization stated.
In the note, the leadership of the WSKH expressed “discontentment of the report that despite repeated appeals concerned department or the administration have not visited the effected (sic) area and taken stock of the situation.”
The WSKH has also asked the department in concern and the district administration “to intervene into the grieving situation at the earliest.”
It was reported earlier that erosion along a bank of Zubza River was posing threat to the village and its adjoining areas, which fall under Niuland sub-division in Dimapur district.
