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KOHIMA — The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) revealed on Friday that pre-monsoon events have inflicted significant damage upon the state, resulting in losses exceeding INR 230 crore this year alone.
Johnny Ruangmei, Joint Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NSDMA, shared this information during a press interaction in Kohima.
Ruangmei recounted the first pre-monsoon event that struck on March 23, severely impacting Tening and Athibung blocks and causing widespread disruption across various districts in the state. Numerous houses were damaged or destroyed during the storm.
While the expected assistance from NSDMA, as per established norms, amounts to INR 4.8 crore, the actual economic loss incurred in Peren district alone surpasses INR 50 crore, he said.
Expressing concern that many decision-makers in the country fail to grasp the correlation between disaster events and economic loss, he said that the NSDMA will be compiling comprehensive damage reports and the assistance that needs to be given, along with an assessment of the actual cost of these events.
The NSDMA is also working on infographics which are under process, he said.
Ruangmei said that another significant incident occurred in Shamator district on the night of April 19 and early morning of April 20, where heavy precipitation lasting approximately five hours resulted in an estimated economic loss of over INR 180 crore.
The department is also currently gathering data on incidents that transpired in Kiphire, he said.
Acknowledging the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, he went on to underscore the importance of preparedness in disaster management, and lamented the lack of disaster risk reduction technologies incorporated into most construction projects.
In this connection, he cited the Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMSR) infrastructure as a positive example of prioritising such measures.
Ruangmei stressed the need for a sustainable approach that integrates disaster risk reduction concepts into all developmental activities, including road construction, urban development, and individual home building. By adopting this philosophy, communities can collectively enhance their resilience against disasters, he said.
He also highlighted the enforcement of the Nagaland Fire and Emergency Services Act by the Fire and Emergency Services department, which makes fire safety mandatory in all new structures, and said that the policy aims to safeguard human life and property, especially considering the recent rise in fire incidents.
Furthermore, Ruangmei emphasised that disaster risk reduction is a shared responsibility, urging everyone to actively participate in creating a safer and more resilient Nagaland.