The Centre has sent teams of the National Disaster Response Force to Nagaland to help in relief operations in the rain-affected state, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. He also spoke to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and assured him of all possible cooperation, reported Northeast Now.
The action came after Rio on Wednesday again appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help the flood-affected state. Twelve people have died and more than 3,000 families have been displaced this month because of heavy rainfall in a few parts of the state, the Hindustan Times reported.
Abhishek Singh, commissioner and secretary to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, said connectivity throughout the state was hit by numerous landslides, reported The Indian Express. “The top soil in Nagaland is soft, making it prone to landslides,” he said. “These have severed connection to remote districts.”
On Thursday, Rio reviewed relief work in Kiphire, the district affected the most by floods and landslides. He sanctioned Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for relief work, reported Northeast Now. An inter-ministerial central team will visit the state from September 4 to survey the extent of damages, said Rio. Roads in 359 locations have been totally cut off, according to the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority.
MLAs of the People’s Democratic Alliance government in the state have agreed to donate a month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, said Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Metsubo Jamir.
The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation also urged the state government to continue providing relief in places facing scarcity of essential commodities, reported the Telegraph. The government should continue to airlift essential commodities, especially to Kiphire and Tobu districts, until the situation normalises, they said.
Meanwhile, Skymet weather agency said the state would continue to receive moderate to heavy rainfall over the first three days of September. The alert was for Dimapur, Kiphire, Kohima, Longleng, Mokokchung, Mon, Peren, Phek, Tuensang, Wokha and Zunheboto.
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