Brothers Perish, Mother Injured: Deadly Landslide Crushes Rented Home in Upper Penli Ward

MOKOKCHUNG, NAGALAND — A rain-triggered landslide brought sudden devastation to Mokokchung town in the early hours of Wednesday, July 29, 2026, when a torrent of mud and debris completely crushed a rented home in Upper Penli Ward. The tragedy claimed the lives of two teenage brothers and left their mother injured, marking a heartbreaking addition to the casualties of the region's severe monsoon season.

The disaster struck between 12:30 AM and 1:00 AM while the family was asleep inside the house, which was located just above the Sangtam Baptist Church pastor's residence. Heavy water accumulation in the soil caused a massive portion of the hillside to give way without warning, instantly trapping three family members beneath the collapsed structure and heavy debris.

Local residents immediately rushed to the scene despite the darkness and persistent rainfall to initiate rescue efforts. A team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) arrived at the site around 2:30 AM, later reinforced by additional personnel deployed from Tuli. While emergency crews successfully extricated the mother alive and rushed her to a local hospital for medical treatment, the two brothers could not be saved. Following hours of digging through the mud, their bodies were recovered around 5:30 AM.

The Eastern Nagaland People's Union Mokokchung (ENPUM) confirmed the identities of the deceased as Muwalong Sangtam (19), a Class XII student, and Thridiba Sangtam (16), a Class XI student. Both brothers attended Queen Mary Higher Secondary School (QMHSS) in Mokokchung and were the sons of Merenba Sangtam from Alisopur village.

A short prayer service was organized at the Sangtam Baptist Church compound by local community leaders before the bodies of the two young brothers were transported back to their native village of Alisopur for their final rites. As the region continues to experience relentless monsoon downpours, district authorities have repeatedly urged residents living in highly vulnerable hill slopes and landslide-prone zones to remain vigilant and take necessary safety precautions.

Following the disaster, a wave of profound mourning swept through Queen Mary Higher Secondary School, where classmates and faculty members struggled to process the abrupt loss of the two young students. Described by teachers as dedicated, bright, and deeply involved in school activities, the sudden absence of the Sangtam brothers has left a painful void within the student body. In response to the growing environmental threat, the Mokokchung District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has mobilized emergency assessment teams to inspect adjacent properties in the Upper Penli Ward.

Officials are identifying structural vulnerabilities and coordinate temporary evacuations for families residing on unstable slopes, as meteorological forecasts predict continued heavy rainfall across Nagaland over the coming days.