Nagaland’s conflicting disaster data demands urgent correction
By Moa Jamir
Statistics concerning Nagaland often require careful scrutiny due to concerns over inconsistencies, fragmented reporting systems, possibility of underreporting as well as misrepresentation etc. Data relating to the State’s accidents and disasters is a case in point. Analysis of the Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2024 report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), alongside the Nagaland Disaster Statistics Report 2025 by the State’s Directorate of Economics & Statistics (DE&S), reveals significantly concerning discrepancies, underscoring the need for more streamlined and harmonised reporting mechanisms.
The divergence is particularly visible in road accident data.
According to the NCRB, Nagaland recorded just 24 traffic accident cases resulting in 27 injuries and 26 deaths during 2024. However, the DE&S recorded 165 road accidents in 2024–25, with 70 deaths and 215 injuries, along with a concerning accident severity rate or the number of fatalities recorded for every 100 accidents of 42.42. If the formula is applied to the NCRB figures, the severity rate would cross 100, suggesting that the two datasets may not be capture the real ground reality.
Differences are also evident in disaster-related fatalities linked to natural hazards and extreme weather.
The DE&S report documented 10 incidents caused by windstorms, cloudbursts, and flash floods in 2024–25, during which eight fatalities were reported while four persons were rescued. Yet, under the NCRB’s “forces of nature” category, Nagaland recorded only one death, identified as landslide-related.
Similarly, State records reported 17 drowning incidents causing 19 deaths in 2024-25, while the NCRB documented seven drowning deaths in 2024. Electrocution data also differed, with State agencies reporting four deaths and 16 injuries, while NCRB figures listed only two fatalities.
While Nagaland’s accidental death rate of 1.9 per lakh population looks stellar next to the national average of 33.3, the State’s records dispel such illusion. Moreover, pervasive underreporting, on both ends, cannot be ruled out.
These inconsistencies may arise from fragmented reporting systems, classification differences, reporting methodologies, timelines, and other factors involving multiple agencies, including Police, SDRF, Fire & Emergency Services, Transport, district administrations, and health authorities. The DE&S tracks fiscal years while the NCRB tracks calendar years, but this minor timeline variation cannot justify such wide discrepancies. The significant gaps, thus, underscore the importance of strengthening data integration and verification mechanisms, among others.
For its part, the NCRB has clarified that its figures are compiled from information furnished by States and Union Territories, with responsibility for authenticity resting with the respective agencies. As noted in this column earlier, the discrepancies are not limited to disaster statistics alone but extend to crime reporting as well, raising serious questions about the collection of data in the State and its eventual transmission to national databases.
Such gaps matter because reliable statistics are not merely administrative tools or numbers; they are instruments of accountability. They influence planning, emergency preparedness, infrastructure policy, compensation mechanisms, and the allocation of resources. If different statuses are reflected across databases, it can complicate policy responses and weaken long-term risk assessment.
Thus, it is imperative that Nagaland strengthen coordination among departments and adopt more harmonised reporting practices. Among other measures, an integrated digital database, uniform classification protocols, timely updating of records, and interdepartmental verification mechanisms could help ensure that disaster and accident data more accurately reflects realities on the ground. Ultimately, credible and consistent data is fundamental not only for governance, but also for public safety and preparedness.
For any feedback, drop a line to jamir.moa@gmail.com
