Heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides have claimed another three lives in Arunachal Pradesh while two are reportedly missing.
Three more persons died in flood-hit Arunachal Pradesh, parts of which are still bearing the brunt of last week's heavy rainfall that triggered landslides and submerged low-lying areas. A 36-year-old woman, Sangio Yapa, died and three others suffered injuries in a landslide that buried their home at Takar Colony in Naharlagun, District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Moromi Sonam said.
In Papum Pare, one of the worst-affected districts, four persons were swept away by the swelling Hollongi River at Huto Village on Tuesday. One of the four was rescued while two others were still missing, an official said. The body of the fourth person was retrieved by a disaster response team.
NDRF and SDRF are carrying out search operations for the missing duo, the official explained. At Kokila village in the Papum Pare, 10 people came under a landslide, of which one died and nine “miraculously escaped”, he said. The toll due to landslides and floods since April has risen to 15, Sonam stated.
Fresh Landslides have been reported from various parts of the Capital Complex – comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli, and Banderdewa areas -- causing extensive damage to homes, roads, and office buildings, the DDMO noted. The approach road to under-construction Donyi Polo Greenfield Airport at Hollongi lay submerged in flood waters, he said.
Most of the rivers, rivulets, and streams in the state capital are in spate, with threats looming over human settlements and thoroughfares. The administration has asked people living in flood-prone areas to move to safety. All schools in the state capital have been asked to suspend classes for three days from June 29 until further orders, the DDMO added.