29/07/2026
Two young brothers were among the victims of a landslide that struck a rented house at Upper Penli Ward, above the Sangtam Baptist Church pastor’s residence, in Mokokchung during the early hours of Wednesday.
According to local sources, the landslide occurred between 12:30 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. on July 29, severely damaging a rented house occupied by a family from Alisopur Village. Three family members-the mother and her two sons, were trapped under the debris. As search and rescue operations got underway, the mother was rescued alive and shifted for medical treatment. However, despite continuous rescue efforts amid persistent rainfall, the two sons could not be rescued alive.
Residents of the area immediately initiated rescue efforts, while a team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the site at around 2:30 a.m. Additional SDRF personnel, who had been deployed in Tuli for disaster response, arrived before sunrise to reinforce the operation. The Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) also reached the site early to oversee the rescue efforts.
After several hours of search and rescue, the bodies of the two trapped victims were recovered at around 5:30 a.m.
The Eastern Nagaland People’s Union Mokokchung (ENPUM) later confirmed the deceased as Muwalong Sangtam (19), a Class XII student of Queen Mary Higher Secondary School (GMHSS), Mokokchung, and Thridiba Sangtam (16), a Class XI student of the same school. They were the sons of Merenba Sangtam of Alisopur Village. Their mother sustained injuries in the incident and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
According to ENPUM, a short prayer service will be held at the Sangtam Baptist Church compound before the bodies are taken to their native village, Alisopur, for the final rites.
Following the incident, Queen Mary Higher Secondary School, Mokokchung, declared a holiday on Wednesday as a mark of respect and mourning for the two students. The school expressed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
