Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 22
Biological-related incidents constituted the highest number of disasters in Nagaland during 2023–24, according to the 2nd edition of Nagaland Disaster Statistics 2024 published by the Directorate of Economics & Statistics.
As per the report, Nagaland recorded 4,584 disaster incidents in 2023–24, reflecting a 9.96% decrease compared to 5,091 incidents reported in 2022–23.
Among the various classifications, biological-related disasters topped the list in 2023–24 with 1,955 incidents, although this represented a decline from 2,338 incidents in 2022–23.
Water and climate-related disasters, which were the highest in 2022–23 at 1,651 incidents, saw a slight increase to 1,677 incidents in 2023–24.
An analysis of the data from both years indicates that biological-related disasters account for approximately 44% of all disaster events, making them the most prevalent. These are followed by water and climate-related disasters, which comprise over 35% of the total, the report added.
According to the report, biological-related disasters refer to “catastrophic events that arise from or are associated with the spread of infectious diseases or outbreaks of illnesses that affect humans, animals, or plants and can impact the environment or public health.”
Such disasters can significantly affect the environment, public health, and the socio-economic well-being of affected communities, it added.
Under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, biological-related disasters are classified into biological disasters and epidemics, pest attacks, cattle epidemics, and food poisoning.
Meanwhile, geological-related disasters—caused by natural geological processes such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and avalanches—increased from 317 incidents in 2022–23 to 421 incidents in 2023–24.
One such incident was a natural gas explosion that triggered a mining disaster (mine fire) in Ruchan Village, Wokha district on January 25, 2024, resulting in the death of six miners and leaving four others seriously injured.
During the same period, accident-related disasters—described as man-made disasters caused by unintentional accidents—decreased from 785 incidents in 2022–23 to 531 incidents in 2023–24.
Nagaland first disaster report was published in 2023.
