Landslides damage 9 houses, Phek out off

Kohima, Sep 8 (UNI) Incessant and torrential rain since over a fortnight has triggered massive landslides in various parts of Nagaland causing road blockades and cutting off Phek district, official sources said here today.

The landslips also damaged houses and paddy fields. Sources said landslides over State Highway 151 blocked many parts of the road between Akash bridge to Akhen and Meluri and completely damaged nine houses in Phek district.

People were facing hardships due to disruption of transport and communication facilities and supply of essential commodities.

Official sources said the road was earlier maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) but recently the BRO handed over the road to the state government.

''The present executive engineer of the PED, Phek and the sub-divisional officer (road and bridges), Meluri are unable to maintain the road due to non-availability of machinery and equipment,'' the sources said.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner of Phek requested the higher authorities of PWD office to take adequate measures to rescue the people in the affected areas.

UNI