Heavy monsoon rains continued to batter Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, triggering fresh landslides and flash floods, disrupting road connectivity across at least 12 districts, while rescue and relief operations gathered pace.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued four people stranded on an island in the Sisiri River in Lower Dibang Valley after rising floodwaters cut them off in the Dambuk area. Flash floods also washed away roads and bridges along the Roing-Anini road, severely affecting connectivity.
In Anjaw district, an excavator operator was feared dead after a massive boulder crushed the machine engaged in highway construction near Sarti village on the Walong road late on Sunday. Rescue operations resumed on Monday after being suspended overnight due to poor visibility and the threat of further rockfalls. The affected stretch remains closed to traffic.
East Siang district remained on high alert as continuous rainfall triggered landslides, flash floods and road washouts. Of the 11 major roads affected, only two have been reopened, while several key routes, including Pasighat-Pangin and Pasighat-Mariyang-Yingkiong, remain blocked.
Floodwaters also inundated at least 10 houses in the Ledum area after a river changed its course. Around 12 families were shifted to safer locations after homes, shops and community infrastructure were damaged. No casualties were reported.
Also read: Arunachal floods: Toll climbs to 3, 7 districts remain cut off
In Lower Siang district, a massive landslide at Siji blocked the flow of the Siji River near the Likabali checkpost, prompting fears of downstream flooding. A motorcyclist narrowly escaped after being swept down a slope during the landslide. Officials later confirmed that the river resumed its normal flow after the accumulated water receded.
Meanwhile, search operations entered the sixth day in Keyi Panyor district, where two people remain missing after a flash flood struck the NEEPCO colony at Poosa last Wednesday. The death toll in the incident rose to three after the body of Saurabh Kumar Kharwar was recovered in neighbouring Papum Pare district on Sunday.
Preliminary assessments indicate that about 30 houses were washed away at the NEEPCO colony, while another 24 houses were destroyed or partially damaged in adjoining areas. In all, 128 households have been affected, with 60 displaced residents taking shelter at a relief camp.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast more heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning over East Siang and neighbouring districts. Authorities have advised people to avoid travelling through flood- and landslide-prone areas unless absolutely necessary.
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