Dzukou range is said to be a tourists' favourite.
A huge wildfire engulfed the picturesque Dzuko Valley, famous for its biodiversity and seasonal flowers, located at the borders of Manipur and Nagaland. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh last night called the incident "very unfortunate", describing Dzuko Valley as "one of the most beautiful places in Manipur". According to officials, the fire is now under control. An Indian Air Force chopper has been deployed to put out the fire after Nagaland's request.
The massive fire is likely to have caused huge damage to biodiversity in Dzuko, also known as "the valley of the flowers".
It started two-three days ago, N Biren Singh said. "Very unfortunate, that a wild fire has started at the Dzuko Valley, one of the most beautiful place in Manipur probably started about 2-3 days ago from the Nagaland side and crossed over to our side. It is likely that the fire might even reached Mt.Iso area today," the 59-year-old Manipur Chief Minister wrote in a late-night tweet.
In visuals he posted, smoke could be see billowing from the beautiful mountains.
In another tweet, he wrote: "Wildfire at Dzuko valley Officials and villagers could not enter the burning areas as the scale of fire is too large with strong winds and there is no proper equipment it may be difficult to control by manpower. The grasses are dry, More manpower are sending with equipment."
"Based on the requisition by the State Government of Nagaland, HQ EAC, IAF has launched a Mi-17V5 helicopter. The helicopter is equipped with Bambi Bucket for fire fighting in Dzukou Valley near Kohima," an official statement read.
The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) have not yet confirmed the cause of the wildfire.
Dzukou range is said to be a tourists' favourite. It is popular with trekkers for its interesting and challenging trekking circuits. It attracts adventure and nature lovers for its scenic beauty and rich flora.