Arunachal Pradesh floods and landslides claim 11 Lives

Itanagar: The death toll from floods and landslides caused by relentless rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh has climbed to 11, with widespread damage reported across the state. The latest victim, 38-year-old labourer Bhaben Murmu, lost his life in a wall collapse in Anjaw district on June 1. Additionally, three GREF workers were injured in the same incident, the State Emergency Operations Centre confirmed. According to official data, 938 people across 156 villages in 23 districts have been impacted. Lower Subansiri is among the worst-hit regions, where 114 kutcha houses, 45 pucca houses, and nine huts have been destroyed. Infrastructure damage includes 51 roads, 17 power lines, 23 water pipelines, and two schools. In the Itanagar Capital Region and Pakke Kessang, floodwaters damaged essential infrastructure, including the main water pipeline and a key road at Dariya Hill. Other affected districts include West Kameng, Kamle, Papum Pare, Dibang Valley, Lohit, Changlang, and Kra Daadi, with rivers still flowing above danger levels. Extensive agricultural losses have been reported: 15 hectares of crops, eight hectares of horticulture, and seven hectares of farmland have been destroyed. In Changlang, flash floods from the Buri-Dihing River swept away part of the Makantong bridge, severing the Miao-Bordumsa route on the Trans-Arunachal Highway. Tourist locations like Zupra and River Cafe are submerged. The ITI at Balinong and Namphai farmlands have suffered major erosion from the Noa-Dehing River. In Upper Subansiri, water supply disruptions have prompted emergency tanker services, while PHED teams work on restoring the Hangkar pipeline. A relief camp at Alubari Government Secondary School in Namsai is currently housing 59 displaced persons. So far, 18 individuals have been rescued, including 14 labourers airlifted from Lower Dibang Valley and four from Jallukbari in Lohit. State Disaster Management Secretary Dani Sulu stated that rescue and relief operations are ongoing at full capacity, with continued efforts to reach isolated areas and provide aid.