Search and rescue operations for four people who remain missing after a flash flood struck Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district were suspended on Thursday evening and are scheduled to resume on Friday, June 26, officials said.State Disaster Management Secretary Dani Sulu said rescue teams carried out extensive searches throughout Thursday but were unable to trace the missing persons. Authorities said the priority remains locating those unaccounted for while continuing relief and restoration work in the flood-hit region. The flash flood, triggered by continuous heavy rainfall, hit the NEEPCO Colony area at Poosa on Wednesday morning. The disaster caused extensive damage to homes, disrupted road connectivity and triggered landslides at several locations across the district. To strengthen rescue efforts, an Indian Air Force helicopter was deployed to airlift additional personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the police to affected areas.
The helicopter was also used to evacuate stranded tourists and patients from inaccessible locations. Thursday’s rescue operations involved teams from the district administration, police, SDRF, NEEPCO, ex-servicemen and local volunteers. Additional SDRF personnel and rescue equipment were flown to the Pitapool area to support the ongoing search operation. According to preliminary assessments, around 18 residential units in and around the NEEPCO Colony were damaged in the flood. A 35-year-old woman died in the disaster, while 17 others suffered injuries. The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said its immediate focus is on tracing the four missing persons and restoring road connectivity to the affected areas. The situation has been worsened by continuous rainfall and landslides, which have cut off six districts—Keyi Panyor, Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey, Lower Subansiri, Kamle and Upper Subansiri—from the rest of the state. Landslides have also disrupted traffic along the Itanagar-Hoj-Yazali stretch of National Highway-13. Authorities have stepped up road restoration work by deploying two excavators to clear debris, mud and boulders on roads leading towards Potin.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is continuing clearance operations from the Kimin side, while restoration work is also progressing from the Hoj side.The state Home Department said persistent rainfall has blocked several important routes in Keyi Panyor and Papum Pare districts, including the Sagalee-Hoj route, Pitapool-Toru Road, Pitapool-Hoj Road and sections of the Kimin Bypass. Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the state government is closely monitoring the situation and that all concerned agencies are fully engaged in rescue, relief and restoration work. He said major road blockades from the Pitapool side and near Possa Bridge had been cleared, improving access to the affected areas. Khandu also announced ex gratia assistance for the family of the deceased and financial relief for the injured in accordance with government norms. He said 14 stranded tourists had been airlifted from Ziro to Naharlagun, while another 11 tourists and one patient were evacuated from Daporijo. Governor K T Parnaik expressed grief over the loss of life and directed authorities to remain on high alert. He instructed officials to identify vulnerable locations, closely monitor weather conditions and issue timely public advisories to minimise further risks as heavy rainfall continues across the state.
