N Apong, Chief Functionary, International Border Area Peoples Welfare Organization (IBAPWO) have sought attention over the severe impact of recent natural calamities on several remote villages in the border areas of Kiphire district, Nagaland.
In an appeal issued by N Apong, Chief Functionary of IBAPWO, the organisation stated that “the recent natural calamity has severely affected the lives of the people living in the border areas of Kiphire District, Nagaland.”
According to the statement, days of continuous heavy rainfall have triggered a major landslide and caused streams to overflow, completely cutting off the lifeline road connecting Mimi to surrounding villages—namely Khongka, Betang, Mutingkhong, Lofukhong, Hakumuti, and Khaha. “The only accessible road has been damaged,” forcing villagers “to risk their lives crossing bamboo bridges over turbulent waters,” the statement noted, accompanied by photographs showing the perilous conditions.
“This disruption has not only caused immense hardship to the villagers but has also created a state of panic among them,” Apong stated, adding that the situation is especially critical due to the lack of access to health facilities, markets, or emergency services. “Children, women, and elderly residents are the worst affected,” the appeal stressed.
IBAPWO has called upon the concerned authorities and government departments to “urgently assess the ground situation and take swift action for restoration of road connectivity, provision of relief materials, and long-term infrastructure planning to prevent such vulnerabilities in the future.”