A landslide occurred at Tongdentsuyong Ward near the butcher shops line on the National Highway (NH-2) of Mokokchung Town this morning at around 1:30 AM, completely crushing three shops.

The Executive Engineer of the PWD National Highway department, along with the SDO and Junior Engineer, visited the landslide area with a JCB reaching the spot at 7:30 AM upon receiving the information at 7:00 AM. Imkongsanen, the NDPP candidate for the ULB election from Tongdentsuyong Ward, also visited the site at that time.

The Executive Engineer stated that the landslide was caused by “loose fractured rocks.”

The engineer informed that they have temporarily cleared some caused by the landslide along the National Highway to allow traffic to pass but noted that the work is not yet fully completed. They plan to continue clearing the debris once traffic conditions allow.

Photo:
Highway engineer and Tongdentsuyong ward NDPP Candidate Imkongsanen assisting the situation

When asked about the District Administration’s intervention, DC Mokokchung informed that the District Administration, and District Disaster Management Authority, has taken the incident into account. Emergency relief funds for the three affected shop owners were disbursed under the incharge of Dilung EAC Mokokchung and Kedi, the District Project Assistant for the District Disaster Management Authority.

Litsala Sangtem, an affected shop owner and resident of Alempang Ward, informed Nagaland Tribune that the overall damage estimate was around 90,000 rupees. Sangtem explained that her small pan shop, which she had expanded to sell fast foods like waiwai fry, was crucial for supporting her family. However, due to insufficient earnings from the pan shop, she turned to selling fast food, using a gas stove and cylinder she owned along with food items.

She mentioned that her family does not have stable employment; her husband works as a driver and occasionally repairs machinery for additional income. She also shared that her husband has completed work on a water motor worth 30,000 rupees, but it was lost in the landslide before he could receive payment. Sangtem expressed concern over the retrieval of their belongings from the damaged shop, stating, “I cannot see any of my things.”

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She appreciated the prompt response of the district administration and District Disaster Management Authority, acknowledging the emergency relief fund they provided. However, she added that while helpful, it cannot compensate for their losses. “I have to start from the beginning,” she lamented. “Everything we had was in this shop; we were running our family with it.”

Photo: Victims of the landslide Litsala Sangtem (Left) and Ayangla (Right)

Ayangla, another affected shop owner from Tongdentsuyong Ward, reported an estimated loss of 60,000 to 70,000 rupees due to the landslide. This included items such as Sintex, plywood, and planks essential for her shop’s setup. She managed to salvage a gas cylinder and stove, but everything else was damaged.

She expressed the profound impact of the loss on her family, stating, “Our livelihood depended on this shop. Now, we don’t know how to start over.”

Lemba Chang, a resident of Lijaba Lijen ward,  another victim and shop owner affected by the landslide, estimated his damages at around 10,000 rupees. His shop, which operated as a poultry shop, was their sole business.

Chang explained that at the time of the incident, there were no poultries in the shop as deliveries had not arrived, and the shop had been closed for a week due to his busy schedule. He also mentioned that items such as an electric kettle, buckets, and other essential tools for poultry keeping were lost in the landslide.