Village council appeals for assistance
Dimapur, July 20 (MExN): Around 70 houses have been submerged under water at Thahekhu Block 7 and their families displaced following the incessant downpour on the intervening night of July 19-20.
A press release from Thahekhu Village Council Chairman, I. Khekuto Yeptho further informed that Government Primary School, Thahekhu Block 7 has been severely affected. The hanging bridge which connects Block 7 and Thahekhu village has also been washed away, it added.
While the loss of properties is yet to be assessed, according to Yeptho, “unaccountable numbers of domestic animals have perished in the natural disaster while four numbers of vehicles also got submerged.” A theological college at Thahekhu Block 4 has also been affected.
The Thahekhu Village Council (TVC) visited the area and distributed some emergency relief to the affected people on July 20. While many of the families have moved to homes of their relatives in other areas, some of those displaced have been housed at Fellowship Church, Block 7. EAC Dimapur also visited the area on the same day.
The release pointed out that this year’s heavy damage is the first since a similar havoc happened in the late 1980s.
In view of the present disaster which has severely affected Thahekhu Block 7, the TVC appealed to the district administration and Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority to immediately intervene and provide all necessary assistance to the affected people.
It also urged upon the authorities to look into immediate restoration of the washed away hanging bridge or find other alternatives.
“With the bridge at Nagarjan also affected and blocked, commuters have rapidly increased passing through Thahekhu village via Railway Crossing,” it noted, while lamenting that the particular route is in a pathetic condition with potholes all along. In this regard, the TVC appealed to the authority concerned to carry out improvement works along the route for the welfare of the people.
