Thewati waits for respite after monsoon horror

•         'Flood turned small stream into river’
•          Body of flood victim untraced
•          ‘Thanks to PWD, neglected road has worsened’
•          Landslides vex trapped villagers  

The small village of new Thewati village in Phek district continues to await respite following the previous weeks’ torrential rains that reportedly claimed the life of a person and destroyed a host of bridges, roads and crops.

The district administration of Phek district has offered updates on Wednesday, August 5, about the situation in the affected areas of Phek district. The deputy commissioner’s establishment informed that the floods in the village’s area, under Meluri sub-division, were more serious than initially believed.

Describing the flood in Thewati village on August 1 as “a very serious flash flood”, the administration stated that a team of district officials including police officials visited the area on the first itself to get a first-hand account of the situation. The team included the sub-divisional officer (civil) of Meluri, and office-in-charge of Meluri Police station. 

Likewise, the deputy commissioner of Phek and a team of officials comprising administrative officers, engineers went to the spot and “verified the actual happening,” the press release informed.

The visiting officials found that the flush flood was ‘too serious that the small stream became as wide as 200 feet and 35 feet deep’, the administration said. The flood also destroyed all the roads and bridges such as Khayoti, Liyakti, Yuthriti and Letsam. The bridge connecting Laruri to Phokhungri were all washed away as well, the updates stated.

The press release said also said that the body of Jacob Pochury, who was reportedly swept away during the floods in Khayoti River, has yet to be traced.

“The landslides in several locations have been blocked the New Thewati-Phokhungri road. In this occurrence of natural disaster 5 villages of Phokhungri Administrative circle have been cut off from other part of the state,” the district administration stated.

“The whole villagers of the area have been fully engaged for construction of temporary wooden bridges and clearing of landslides on voluntary and free labour so that to open the road”.

The deputy commissioner of Phek is said to have donated a sum of Rs. 80,000 to the president of Phek Area Public Organization and Rs. 40,000 to the extra assistant commissioner of Phokhungri under which the affected village is. The donation is to assist in mobilizing the public to construct a temporary bridge and to clear landslide-affected areas at the earliest.

The district administration also found that the main approach road for the area had “become very vulnerable” following years of negligence by the Public Works Department (Roads & Bridges).

‘After the Border Roads Organization handed over the said road to PWD (R&B) department during several years ago, the department has not given even least attention to maintain the said road and it has become very vulnerable,’ the district administration stated.

‘If the road is not opened immediately, the problem will become more complicated due to the shortage of essential commodities. However, it is to suggest in construction of ‘pucca’ structure bridges in all the four locations at the earliest by the concern department, i.e. PWD (R&B) department,’ the administration stated.

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