Arunachal Pradesh: At least 200 people evacuated as flash floods hit West Kameng district
The Army, Arunachal Pradesh Police and the local residents have been engaged in search and rescue operations in the state.
At least 200 people, including 110 children, were evacuated after flash floods hit West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday. The region witnessed extremely heavy rainfall and flash floods occurred due to a cloud burst.
The situation could turn worse as the India Meteorological Department said North Eastern states – Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura – were likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall from July 9 to July 12.
“The rains washed away an RCC [reinforced cement concrete] bridge and damaged seven to eight houses,” Beru Dulom, field officer of the state’s Disaster Management Authority, told The Indian Express. Many roads were reportedly washed away, especially in New Kaspi Nala area near Nag Mandir in the district.
The Army, Arunachal Pradesh Police and local residents have been engaged in search and rescue operations. Emergency control rooms in the state have been activated by the civic administration, The Times of India reported.
The state disaster management authorities have provided relief materials including clothes and food to people. The affected ones are staying with their relatives.
The Balipara-Charduar-Tawang road – which connects Army’s 4th Corps headquarters at Tezpur in Assam and the forward areas near Arunachal Pradesh’s northern boundary with China – has also been closed for traffic due to heavy rain and landslides. The Tawang Police have asked commuters to avoid this route for going to Bomdila and Tawang and instead use the Orang-Kalaktang-Shergaon-Rupa-Tenga road to reach Tawang from Assam.
On July 8, one person was injured and a 23-year-old woman was swept away from her home in Kaspi village in Singchung sub-division. “The husband of the 23-year-old was saved and is now recovering,” Dulom said.