Authorities assess vulnerable areas as relief and relocation measures begin
Two brothers died after a landslide struck a rented residential house at Upper Penli Ward, above the Sangtam Baptist Church pastor’s residence, in Mokokchung during the early hours of Wednesday.
The deceased have been identified as Muwalong Sangtam, 19, a Class XII student of Queen Mary Higher Secondary School, Mokokchung, and his younger brother Thsidiba Sangtam, 16, a Class XI student of the same school.
According to the Eastern Nagaland People’s Union Mokokchung (ENPUM), the brothers were sons of Merenba Sangtam of Alisopur Village. Their mother sustained injuries in the incident and is receiving medical care.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Mokokchung, said the landslide occurred at approximately 1 a.m., striking the residential house and trapping members of the family beneath mud and debris.
The mother and eldest son of the family were rescued, while the two younger members remained trapped beneath the debris. The DDMA said SDRF personnel, Police and local volunteers took part in the rescue operation.
After several hours of manual excavation and debris removal amid challenging weather conditions and unstable terrain, the two victims were recovered at approximately 5:30 a.m., according to the DDMA.
The victims were subsequently taken to District Hospital, Mokokchung, where inquest proceedings and medical examinations were completed before the remains were handed over to the family.
The remains were later taken from the Sangtam Baptist Church compound towards the family’s native village, Alisopur, following a short prayer, according to ENPUM.
Differing accounts over initial rescue response
Community members who were among the first to respond and SDRF officials have provided differing accounts of the timeline of the initial rescue response.
Residents said they attempted to contact emergency services at around 1:01 a.m. using a number published in Ao Milen, but found that the number was no longer in service.
After attempts to find an alternative contact number, some residents went to the SDRF office at around 1:30 a.m. to alert personnel about the incident, they said.
The residents further said they saw an SDRF-associated vehicle passing through the area around 1:45 to 1:50 a.m. They initially believed the vehicle was heading to the affected site, but said it passed through the area.
According to the community members, SDRF personnel reached the affected site around 3 to 3:30 a.m. By then, local residents and community members had already begun rescue efforts and helped bring the victims’ mother to safety.
SDRF Company Commander Lanutemjen gave a different account of the sequence.
He said the force received information about the incident at around 1 a.m., after two women came to the office to report it. According to Lanutemjen, a Staff Winger was immediately sent to pick up SDRF personnel stationed at the DEF, Chuchuyimpang and transport tools and equipment.
Lanutemjen said he reached the affected site within approximately 20 minutes of receiving the information. By the time he arrived, he said, community members had already rescued the victims’ mother.
SDRF personnel then joined the search operation for the two brothers. Lanutemjen said the victims were recovered at around 5:25 a.m. and handed over to the police authority.
Asked about the community’s account of an SDRF-associated vehicle passing through the area before the team reached the site, Lanutemjen and SI Tingkam Konyak maintained that they were personally at the affected site within approximately 20 minutes of receiving the information, before the jawans arrived.
The officials explained that the SDRF rescue vehicle normally used to transport tools and equipment was already deployed in Tuli to assist with the flood situation. The Staff Winger was therefore used to pick up personnel from DEF, Chuchuyimpang. They said the movement of the vehicle between locations may account for what residents observed.
They further said that a new vehicle had been issued by the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) that morning and that the driver had gone to collect it.
Emergency contact number
The District Administration separately confirmed that the emergency contact number published in Ao Milen is no longer in use.
The administration said the current official DDMA emergency contact number is 6009479721.
Officials also said each district has 30 SDRF personnel. In Mokokchung, 23 personnel were involved in the search and retrieval operation, while seven were stationed in Tuli to assist with the flood situation.
Aftermath and relief measures
Following the incident, the DDMA, in coordination with ward officials, deployed additional manpower to clear the landslide debris.
The administration has also evacuated two houses located in landslide-vulnerable areas and shifted the affected families to safer locations.
Speaking to the media, the Deputy Commissioner said relief materials would be distributed to affected families. An ex gratia compensation of ¹ 4 lakh per deceased person has also been announced for the family of the victims.
The DDMA urged ward and colony authorities and residents, particularly those living in landslide-prone areas, to remain vigilant and follow advisories issued during the ongoing monsoon season.
Property owner says collapse happened suddenly
Moanungsang, the owner of the property whose retaining wall and adjoining earth collapsed onto the affected house, said there had been no apparent warning before the incident.
Speaking about the situation after the landslide, he said his own family was not being evacuated, but that he had asked the three tenant families living below his house to vacate the area for safety and relocate elsewhere.
He said the retaining wall had appeared intact shortly before the incident.
“It happened all of a sudden. The retaining wall was very much intact. Day before yesterday, I went to check the retaining wall and it was very much intact. It is very unfortunate that I couldn’t believe myself this happened,” he said.
SDRF flags wider landslide risks in Mokokchung
Beyond the immediate rescue operation, SDRF personnel pointed to broader risks faced by houses in Mokokchung, citing factors such as improper foundations, inadequate drainage systems and poorly constructed or maintained retaining walls.
The SDRF said its role extends beyond rescue operations and includes retrieving victims, managing risks, assessing affected sites and supporting measures aimed at reducing disaster risks.
Officials said site assessments and risk-reduction planning are important in identifying vulnerable areas and helping reduce the potential impact of future incidents.
