Heavy Rains Trigger Floods, Landslides In Arunachal Pradesh, Over 60,000 Affected

A cloudburst in the Sagalee area of Papum Pare district triggered the release of a significant volume of water from the Pare Hydropower Project (PHEP).

An Assam Rifles personnel carries a girl during a rescue operation in a flood-affected area, at Bijoypur village in Diyun circle in Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh. (Image Source: PTI)

Several parts of Arunachal Pradesh have been battling floods and landslides as major rivers surged above the danger mark. Four districts —Namsai, Lohit, Changlang, and East Siang — bore the brunt of severe flooding, while other districts witnessed landslides, triggered by incessant rains over the past few days, officials said. 

A cloudburst in the Sagalee area of Papum Pare district triggered the release of a significant volume of water from the Pare Hydropower Project (PHEP), reported news agency PTI. 

Taba Gagung Tebw, Assistant General Manager (Technical) of PHEP urged residents downstream to remain vigilant and avoid riverbanks for fishing in the coming days. The district administration has also cautioned the public to stay away from waterbodies. 

In Bordumsa, under Changlang district,  Bijoypur, Makantong, and Wagun-III and -IV areas were inundated as the Burha Dehing river swelled, damaging bridges, culverts, crops, and livestock.

According to the officials, a high flood alert has been issued for Namsai district and Wakro circle in Lohit district, where water levels have exceeded danger levels. 

As per the PTI report, 34 villages in Namsai and Wakro have been affected by floods so far, according to sources from the state water resources department. 

Five villages in Lohit district, 11 in Itanagar district, 16 in Changlang district, and four in West Kameng district have also been hit, as per official reports. 

A total of 61,948 people have been affected due to the ongoing rains and resultant floods and landslides across the state. Around 300 people have been evacuated to relief camps in the state capital, Changlang, and Namsai districts, officials said.
 
As many as 143.58 hectares of agriculture and horticulture land have also been affected in the state. 

A major water supply line feeding Itanagar township has been disrupted between Zoo Road and Ganga Lake due to landslides, affecting water supply to areas such as C-sector, ESS, Gandhi Market, and others, the report added. 

Efforts to restore the line are underway and the officials have estimated that it will take about a week to fully restore the supply.