Normal flight operations resumed at Dimapur Airport on Sunday after all flights were cancelled on Saturday due to runway waterlogging amid heavy rainfall. According to Airport Authority of India (AAI) Dimapur Airport Director Moa Pongen, there were no flight cancellations on Sunday and the runway remained fully operational.
The runway was inundated following ‘abnormal rainfall’ of approximately 111 mm on Saturday, leading to a temporary disruption of flight services. However, the runway was cleared between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday itself, allowing flight operations to return to normal from Sunday.
Pongen explained that under normal rainfall conditions, the runway was capable of sustaining operations, but unprecedented or excessive rainfall increased the likelihood of disruptions and cancellations. He noted that Dimapur Airport’s location in a low-lying area made it susceptible to waterlogging during heavy rains.
To address the issue, Pongen said that AAI Dimapur Airport had already written to the concerned authorities for widening and enhancement of the airport’s drainage system to better handle such situations in the future. Officials from the department of Water Resources visited the site on Saturday for inspection and assessment.
The airport authority is pursuing mitigation measures to minimize the impact of natural calamities, although prevention is not possible. With the runway now fully operational, flight services have returned to normal at Dimapur Airport.
