Nagaland Landslides Limit IAF Relief Operations; Rijiju to Visit Flood-affected Areas

New Delhi: Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju will on Sunday visit flood and landslides-affected areas in Nagaland which has been facing a crisis-like situation in the wake of the widespread natural calamities.

Indian Air force choppers airdropped essential commodities in the landslide-affected areas of Nagaland's Peren district.

The Minister will visit the affected areas in Dimapur and Kohima districts and review the search, rescue and relief measures taken by the state government and other Central government agencies, a Home Ministry statement said on Saturday.

The move comes after Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought immediate central assistance to battle the problems generated by the incessant rainfall hammering the state for a few weeks.

Rio along with the Chief Secretary and other senior officers of the state administration will also visit the flood-affected areas with Rijiju.

A team of officers from National Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will assist Rijiju during his visit.

Nagaland has been receiving unprecedented heavy rainfall which has resulted in several natural calamities all over the state. Landslides and sinking zones have created immense damage on public infrastructure all over the state as also caused loss of life and property.

Through the statement, the Union Home Ministry communicated that a team of NDRF consisting of 35 rescuers with essential rescue equipment was already deployed in Nagaland to assist the state administration in the relief and rescue operation as well as distribution of essential relief material and to provide medical support to affected people in the time of emergency.

"Two Air Force helicopters have also been deployed in Nagaland for assisting state administration in lifting and dropping of essential commodities," it said.

Many places in the state remained cut-off as roads were blocked due to landslides.