A shopkeeper uses a bucket to drain floodwater from her inundated shop after a sudden afternoon downpour in Zunheboto on May 13. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Zunheboto | May 13
Poor road conditions and clogged drainage channels once again triggered flooding in parts of Zunheboto town after a sudden afternoon downpour around 2:00 pm on May 13, inundating shops, damaging essential goods, and leaving school-going students stranded.
The worst-hit area was around Project Colony near HKY Provision, below the Zunheboto Media Office, where rainwater quickly accumulated and entered several shops, soaking rice, groceries, and other daily household items as shopkeepers scrambled to salvage their stock.
Shopkeepers were seen desperately trying to drain water from their stores as goods floated in muddy floodwater.
School-going students were left stranded as the entire stretch became submerged, leaving no safe passage to cross. Many students were completely drenched while attempting to make their way through the flooded road.
“This is not the first incident. This is the second time within just two months,” one local shop owner said, referring to a similar flooding incident that occurred in April.
Another shopkeeper, breaking down in tears, lamented, “Sab barbad ho gaya (Everything is ruined)… How will I pay my debts? I have so many dues to recover by selling these materials. Now everything is soaked in water, and I cannot even sell them.”
One woman whose shop was completely flooded was seen repeatedly throwing water out with buckets while her stock remained submerged.
Her silence and emotional expression reflected deep despair and helplessness.
Another affected shop owner stated that repeated complaints to the authorities had yielded little response.
“What can I even say? I have no words to express my emotions. All our rice stock is completely destroyed. Someone has to reimburse our losses,” the shop owner said, further alleging that the Zunheboto Town Council often dismisses their grievances.
Residents blamed the poor drainage system and indiscriminate dumping of garbage into drains for the recurring waterlogging problem. “The drainage system is the main reason. People throw garbage into the drains, blocking the flow of water, and incidents like this keep happening,” a resident added.
Students caught in the flooding also voiced frustration over the town’s deteriorating infrastructure. “Our Zunheboto town roads are so pathetic, and the drainage system is horrible,” one student said while drenched in rainwater.
Several vehicles reportedly broke down while attempting to cross the flooded stretch, as potholes hidden beneath the water became impossible for drivers to detect.
