DIMAPUR, Aug 5 - Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, accompanied by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and senior Central and State Government officials, made an aerial survey of flood and landslide-affected areas in the State on Sunday.
Rijiju was here to assess the damages caused by floods and landslides following unprecedented rains.
However, the Union Minister could not land in Kohima owing to foggy weather and had to return to Dimapur. Rio briefed Rijiju on the situation at a resort here later in the day.
Rijiju reportedly assured to provide all assistance to the State to deal with the natural calamity that caused loss of human lives and damage to properties besides cutting off many parts of the State.
Rio expressed appreciation to the Centre for positively responding to the difficulties being faced by Nagaland due to calamities caused by heavy rainfall in the state.
�I welcome Union Minister @KirenRijiju to #Nagaland. We are humbled and grateful for the help and support that you are providing at such a critical time,� Rio tweeted.
Nagaland Governor PB Acharya has requested the Centre to extend all possible help to the State to overcome the disaster. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Acharya apprised him about the recent natural calamity.
He said the State Government machineries were making all out efforts to restore damaged infrastructure and provide relief and rehabilitation to the affected people. However, the State was unable to address the challenges due to lack of resources, adequate machineries and equipments and also due to poor connectivity. He, therefore, requested the Centre to provide much needed help to the State.
The Governor pointed out that many districts were cut off from the rest of the country due to heavy landslides and soil erosion. He said essential infrastructure like power supply lines, communication networks, etc. have also been damaged. Supplies of essential commodities to all the district headquarters have not been possible and stocks are getting depleted, he added.
Meanwhile, the Governor arranged essential commodities to be distributed to the affected people in Kiphire district. The district has been completely cut off from the rest of the State.
