Nagaland: 70-year-old trekker rescued after fall near Dzükou Valley

A 70-year-old woman from West Bengal was rescued following a fall during a trek to Dzükou Valley on December 11, with the Southern Angami Youth Organisations (SAYO) and the Southern Angami Tour Guide Council (SATGC) conducting the operation after she reportedly dislocated her hip.

The rescue team improvised a stretcher from a bedsheet to transport the injured woman across difficult terrain, with rescuers also carrying her on their backs through particularly challenging sections of the trail. A physiotherapist examined her before she was taken to a homestay, with the operation extending late into the night due to the terrain and her condition.

Officials noted that the guides involved had completed disaster management and first-aid training provided by the Tourism Department, skills that proved essential during the rescue. SAYO thanked the Community Health Centre Viswema for dispatching an ambulance promptly to assist with the operation.

The incident has prompted SAYO to reinforce its requirement that all visitors use registered tour guides when trekking to the valley. The organisation highlighted ongoing safety concerns, noting that during the recent Hornbill Festival, numerous tourists attempted the trek without guides, leading to confrontations at entry points. Some visitors filmed and photographed officials after being stopped, a behaviour SAYO described as undermining both safety measures and established protocols.

The mandatory guide requirement aims to prevent similar incidents and ensure trekker safety in the challenging terrain around Dzükou Valley.