New Delhi: One person was killed, and four others went missing after incessant rainfall triggered flash floods in Arunachal Pradesh's Keyi Panyor district on Wednesday. According to officials, 17 people were injured, and at least 18 residential units were damaged in the natural disaster. Several roads were blocked, and travellers were stranded as landslides disrupted road connectivity.
The body of Nirmala Gupta (35), a teacher at Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya (VKV) on the NEEPCO campus at Yazali, was recovered during search and rescue operations following the devastating flash floods, Keyi Panyor, Superintendent of Police Angad Mehta said.
An IAF helicopter was pressed into service on Thursday to deploy State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police personnel for the search and rescue of the four people who went missing in the flash floods.
Efforts are also underway to reopen roads blocked by debris from the flash floods and landslides.
Six districts cut off from Arunachal Pradesh
The flood struck the NEEPCO Colony area at Poosa in Keyi Panyor district on Wednesday morning, damaging houses, disrupting road connectivity and triggering landslides at several locations.
As many as six districts — Keyi Panyor, Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey, Lower Subansiri, Kamle and Upper Subansiri — have been cut off from the rest of the state due to heavy rainfall.
Landslides have also been reported on the Itanagar-Hoj-Yazali stretch of National Highway-13.
Rescue operations continue
Despite difficult terrain and road blockages caused by landslides, search operations resumed on Thursday morning, with personnel from the district administration, police, SDRF, NEEPCO, ex-servicemen and local volunteers pressed into service, State Disaster Management Secretary Dani Sulu said.
An IAF helicopter was deployed to airlift additional SDRF personnel and equipment to the Pitapool area, strengthening the ongoing rescue efforts.
According to preliminary assessments, around 18 residential units in and around the NEEPCO Colony were damaged in the flood. The body of a 35-year-old woman was recovered on Wednesday, while 17 people sustained injuries.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said Thursday's operation is focused on locating the four missing persons, and efforts are underway to restore road connectivity. Two excavators have been deployed to clear the sludge and boulders blocking the road towards Potin.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is continuing road clearance work from the Kimin side, while highway restoration is also progressing from the Hoj side.
Travel warning issued
The state Home Department said continuous rainfall and landslides have blocked several key roads in Keyi Panyor and Papum Pare districts, including the Sagalee-Hoj route, Pitapool-Toru Road, Pitapool-Hoj Road and the Kimin Bypass at multiple locations.
Authorities have advised people to avoid the affected routes until normal connectivity is restored.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu has assured families affected by the calamity of his government's full support. In a statement, he expressed deep distress over the losses caused by the disaster.
He said all concerned agencies have been fully mobilised and are actively engaged in rescue and relief operations. The state government is closely monitoring the situation, and every possible effort is being made to provide rescue, relief and medical assistance to those affected.
