Heavy rain, strong wind and hailstorm pounded many regions in Nagaland on 20th April 2024, triggering flash floods and landslide. The Muksuhki Road that connects Tuensang and Shamator districts was cut off while in several paddy fields were washed off near Longsa Village in Mokokchung. Capital Kohima too was battered by about five minutes of hailstorm around midnight of 20th April 2024.

The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) is yet to release a statement on the losses and relief efforts for those affected by the extreme weather. NSDMA had earlier issued advisories on at least two occasions in the month of April 2024 itself, cautioning against rainfall accompanied by lightning, thunderstorm and squally winds in Nagaland and urging the public to exercise caution and stay safe.

On Sunday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted more of such weather over North East India till 27th April 2024.

“A cyclonic circulation lies over northeast Assam, another over northeast Bangladesh and a north-south trough runs from the cyclonic circulation over northeast Bangladesh to north Bay of Bengal in lower tropospheric levels,” IMD stated in its press release. Under its influence, the Department said that fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall/snowfall accompanied with isolated thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) are very likely over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during 21st-24th April and isolated to scattered rainfall over Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during 25th-27th April 2024.

Isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Arunachal Pradesh during 21st-25th; Assam and Meghalaya during 21st-23rd and Nagaland, Manipur on 21st April 2024. Isolated very heavy rainfall also very likely over Arunachal Pradesh on 23rd April 2024, it added.