Dimapur wades through another deluge as officials blame encroachments and civic apathy

DIMAPUR —  Incessant rainfall has triggered widespread flooding across Dimapur and its surrounding districts, causing severe disruption to daily life, damaging properties, forcing school closures, and displacing residents in several localities.

In many areas, floodwaters have yet to recede before the latest round of heavy rain began overnight, exacerbating the crisis. Affected localities include LRC Colony, Nagarjan Road, Vilhume Colony, Netaji Colony, Purana Bazar B, Duncan Bosti, Lake View Colony, SM Colony, Police Colony, Lengrijan Colony, the Supermarket bus/Sumo stand area.

Roads have turned into rivers, homes have been submerged, and several schools across the district have declared holidays or suspended tests for safety reasons.

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At Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, an official shared that the river running behind the school campus—once 8 to 15 feet wide—has now narrowed to just 3 to 4 feet in some stretches, primarily due to encroachments on both the Nagaland and Assam sides.

Because of the narrowing, water from the stream flows back into the campus during heavy rainfall, often flooding the premises after just two or three hours of continuous rain. It’s no longer a river; it’s more like a drainage channel now, he observed.

This is the first time the school campus has experienced such extensive flooding, he said, calling the situation “unprecedented.” The ground floor of one block was among the worst affected, with water entering classrooms and disrupting scheduled activities. The school was forced to declare a holiday on Tuesday, and if the water does not recede in time, the scheduled class tests will be postponed until after the summer break, which starts on July 11.

The official also expressed concern about possible health issues following the floods, such as waterborne or airborne diseases, which he noted were not commonly reported in Dimapur a few years ago. He added that addressing the larger issue will require collective initiative—possibly through community efforts to surrender small portions of land to construct a proper, large-scale drainage system.

“Without such a step, there is no sustainable solution to this recurring problem,” he emphasised.

Cleanup efforts are expected to begin later in the day once the water levels subside, with assistance from nearby staff and community members.

SM High School at Netaji Colony remained closed as floodwaters continued to inundate the school premises, with water levels yet to recede.

Carewell School, located at Duncan, Tajen Ao Road, was completely submerged by floodwaters, with water even entering the classrooms. The school began its summer break on Tuesday.

The Government Higher Secondary School, Nagarjan, which was on summer break since July 5, was also fully submerged by floodwaters.

In Lengrijan Colony, the Lengrijan River—straddling the Assam-Nagaland border—overflowed its banks, triggering significant flooding in the area. A house near the bridge was submerged up to knee level, while floodwaters entered two nearby cement shops, damaging more than 100 bags of cement.

Residents and council members described the current flood as the worst the colony has experienced in the past 25 years, with water levels rising at least one foot above normal.

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According to a council member source, around four houses were affected in Sector-1, opposite Emanuel College. In Sector-2, Lane-1, water levels rose as high as four feet, impacting over 20 houses. Lanes 2 and 3 of the same sector reported damage to three to four houses each, while Lanes 4 and 5 saw around seven to eight houses affected in each lane. Sector-3, Lane-4, and parts of Sector-6 were also inundated.

The Kuda Mill area has been among the worst-hit localities, with approximately 100 thatch houses reportedly submerged.

A council member remarked that the disaster was largely man-made, attributing it to rampant encroachment that has effectively turned the natural river into a drainage system. He stressed that illegal constructions along drainage routes must be demolished to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Lakeview Colony saw approximately 20 houses in waist high floodwaters while LRC Colony residents reported overflowing waters from the border bridge spilling into homes especially those located near the Assam-Nagaland border.

Crisis largely man-made

Advisor and Chairman of the Dimapur District Planning and Development Board (DPDB), Moatoshi Longkumer, along with Dimapur Deputy Commissioner and DDMA Chairman Dr. Tinojongshi Chang, visited flood-affected areas in Dimapur on Tuesday afternoon.

Following the inspection, Longkumer remarked that while the floods were triggered by heavy rains, the crisis was largely man-made and driven by unchecked human greed and a lack of civic sense.

He stressed the need to enforce regulations to clear clogged drains and take decisive action against individuals encroaching on drainage areas. Such actions must be dealt with firmly, and the public should support these efforts regardless of their personal ties to those involved, he stated.

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Calling for collective resolve, Longkumer urged residents to recognise the urgency of the situation: “We don’t need any other development right now. Our top and only priority should be improving the drainage system to put an end to the recurring floods in Dimapur once and for all.”

Beyond drainage, he also raised concerns over fire safety, citing past incidents where fire brigades were unable to access congested neighbourhoods, particularly in slum-like settlements. He emphasised the need for strict enforcement of the “right to pathway” regulation and proposed that all house constructions be subject to municipal clearance, similar to practices followed in other cities, to ensure accessibility and safety.

Criticising the tendency to deflect responsibility, he said, “We often point fingers at others without first looking in the mirror. Let us reflect on what we have failed to do, and more importantly, consider what we can contribute to solving this problem.”

When asked whether there is a concrete plan to address the drainage issue, Longkumer acknowledged that while his powers and resources are limited in his capacity as an elected representative, he would—as Chairman of the DPDB—focus on raising awareness, encouraging compliance with civic rules, and taking initiatives to clear obstructed drains.

Regarding the possibility of strict action against existing violators, he recalled that during his previous tenure, a task force was constituted under the leadership of the then DC to tackle drainage encroachments. At the time, eight encroachers were identified, and the administration had taken steps to demolish certain structures. However, some families approached the court, leading to a halt in the drive.

Despite these setbacks, he informed that he has proposed to the DC that the initiative be revived. “Even if it causes discomfort to some, it is necessary,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DC thanked the advisor for showing concern and visiting all the flood-affected areas. He expressed optimism that with collective cooperation, efforts would be made to address the problem in the days to come.

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The Dimapur Municipal Council Chairman and several councillors were also part of the inspection team.