An aerial view of the fire in Dzükou Valley area on January 5. (Photo Courtesy: CMO Nagaland)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 5
Fresh fire continued to erupt in the Dzükou Valley area on the eighth day after the incident was first reported on December 29.
According to a report from the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), fire in the Dzükou Valley was seen in multiple locations as on January 5.
The NSDMA along with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) representatives made an aerial survey of the incident site on Tuesday, and observed that demobilisation of the Air operations was not advisable. As such, it suggested for continuation of the firefighting operations by the IAF helicopters.
According to an update from PRO Defence Kohima, IAF helicopters would continue to assist in dousing fire in the area on January 6.
It also informed that situational assessment would be carried out on January 6 along with IAF team and NSDMA officials. Uniformed personnel on the ground will continue making the fire control line with the help of volunteers, as per the update.
NSDMA in collaboration with GIS and Remote Sensing, Nagaland will also be deploying UAV (Drone) for area damage assessment, the NSDMA stated.
Meanwhile, the NDRF issued a statement on January 5 informing that the forest fire in the valley is "continuously increasing its magnitude" and spreading towards the hills of neighbouring Manipur, according to a PTI report.
Additional manpower of seven NDRF teams have been deployed in the affected areas of Kohima district in Nagaland and Senapati district of Manipur to assist firefighters in extinguishing the forest fire. The teams reportedly reached Nagaland on January 2.
Out of the seven teams, three are approaching the affected area from the western side near Essi hills in Kohima district, while the rest are approaching from the eastern side at Mao in Senapati district.
Teams of fire brigade, local police, Nagaland and Manipur state disaster response force teams and volunteers are also working to check the fast spreading fire in the hills.
Personnel of SDRF/Home Guard and Civil Defence, NDRF Personnel, Police and Paramilitary supported by DDMA, Kohima and DFO, and volunteers from SAYO have been working to further make the traditional fire control line to protect the fragile portion of the valley, the NSDMA report stated.
4 IAF choppers continued the Bambi Bucket operations on Tuesday while NDRF personnel and SAYO volunteers are reported to be camping in the valley to keep watch.
