Intensified Rescue Efforts in Arunachal Pradesh Following Flash Floods
Rescue Operations Underway in Keyi Panyor
Debris scattered across an area after a landslide and flash floods near the NEEPCO project colony, Keyi Panyor, on Wednesday. (Photo:PTI)
Itanagar, June 25: On Thursday, search and rescue efforts were ramped up in the Keyi Panyor district of Arunachal Pradesh, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, and police teams deployed to locate four individuals reported missing after a flash flood caused by heavy rainfall the previous day.
Authorities are also focused on restoring road access in the flood-affected region, where debris, sludge, and landslides have obstructed several vital routes, disrupting daily life.
As per the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), the operations on Thursday are primarily aimed at finding the four missing persons while clearing roads blocked by mud and boulders. Two excavators have been utilized to facilitate access towards Potin.
Dani Sulu, the State Disaster Management Secretary, stated that search operations resumed early Thursday despite challenging terrain and obstructed roads.
An IAF helicopter has been dispatched to airlift additional SDRF personnel and rescue equipment to the Pitapool area, enhancing the ongoing search efforts.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working on road clearance from the Kimin side, while restoration efforts on the highway are also in progress from the Hoj side.
The state Home Department reported that continuous rainfall and landslides have blocked several major roads in Keyi Panyor and Papum Pare districts, including the Sagalee-Hoj route, Pitapool-Toru Road, Pitapool-Hoj Road, and various sections of the Kimin Bypass.
Authorities have advised travelers to steer clear of the affected routes until normal connectivity is restored.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed profound sorrow over the destruction caused by the flash flood and assured affected families of the state government's comprehensive support.
In his statement, Khandu mentioned that all relevant agencies had been fully mobilized and were actively involved in rescue and relief operations.
He emphasized that the government is closely monitoring the situation and making every effort to provide rescue, relief, and medical assistance to those impacted.
The flash flood hit the NEEPCO Colony area at Poosa in Keyi Panyor district on Wednesday morning, damaging homes, severing road connections, and triggering landslides in multiple locations.
Preliminary assessments indicate that approximately 18 residential units in and around the NEEPCO Colony were affected by the flood. The body of a 35-year-old woman was recovered on Wednesday, while 17 others were injured.
Personnel from the district administration, police, SDRF, NEEPCO, ex-servicemen, and local volunteers are actively participating in the rescue operation.
Currently, six districts, including Keyi Panyor, Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey, Lower Subansiri, Kamle, and Upper Subansiri, remain isolated from the rest of the state due to the heavy rainfall.
Landslides have also been reported along the Itanagar-Hoj-Yazali stretch of National Highway-13, further complicating rescue operations and movement across the region.