Just days before classes are scheduled to resume after the summer vacation, Noklangsangba Government High School in Lirmen village of Mokokchung has suffered extensive damage due to land subsidence, leaving a major portion of the campus unsafe and raising uncertainty over the school’s reopening.

Teacher Imlimeren told Nagaland Tribune that the ground began sinking at around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, according to a non-teaching staff member who noticed the movement before the church service concluded. By Monday morning, the affected area had sunk by an estimated of three feet, with the land continuing to subside.

He said about 70 per cent of the school building has been affected. The damage includes six to seven classrooms, the school office, staff room and kitchen. Large cracks have developed on the walls and floors, while sections of the corridor and foundation have collapsed.

Established as a Government Middle School in 1978 and upgraded to a Government High School in 2016, the school currently has 40 students, 13 teaching staff and five non-teaching staff. The school is on summer vacation and is scheduled to reopen on July 27.

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According to Imlimeren, the school is situated on a hillside with higher slopes above it. He said signs of gradual land movement had been visible for several years. In 2023, a landslide damaged part of the campus, following which four to five classrooms were reconstructed, with the new structure attached to the existing building.

He said the affected area is unsafe to enter as the ground continues to sink.

Imlimeren informed that the School Management Committee has made known of the incident to Sub-Divisional Education Officer (SDEO), Mangkolemba, and the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) and all concerned departments. However, officials have not yet visited the site as landslides at several locations have disrupted road connectivity.

The school awaits assessment by the concerned authorities.