ITANAGAR, 19 Jun: Heavy rainfall continues to create havoc across the districts in Arunachal Pradesh.
A 16-year-old boy was killed in a massive landslide that occurred in Yupia in Papum Pare district on Sunday, police said.
The landslide hit Yupia at around 8 am. The boy, identified as Rage Hilli, was riding a motorcycle and got buried in the debris, Papu Hills Police Station Inspector O Ronang informed.
His body was later retrieved from under the debris.
A couple who was travelling in a car had a narrow escape as the landslide struck the area, police said.
Hilli, a resident of MG village in Kamba circle of West Siang district, was known to be a promising boxer.
Earlier, three persons were reportedly buried alive near Angkaling village in Kalaktang subdivision of West Kameng district by a massive landslide that occurred in the intervening night of 17 and 18 June. The bodies of the missing persons are yet to be retrieved.
More than 100 travellers who were stranded at various block points on the Balemu-Bomdila road have been rescued.
With this, nature has claimed nine lives in the state so far, with three deaths in Kurung Kumey and six in the ICR since April. Further, 524 houses have been damaged in 87 villages, affecting a population of about 11,000 in the state.
Eleven rescued persons are staying in a relief camp in Lohit district. They are being provided with all essential requirements by the DC and the DDMA.
In East Siang district, four staffers of the forest department, who were stranded in the D Ering Wildlife Sanctuary due to the rising water level of the Siang river, were rescued with the help of the Dhemaji (Assam)-based NDRF on 18 June.
The heavy downpour has also disrupted road connectivity in many districts. Currently, the Margherita-Changlang road in Changlang district, the Hoj-Potin road in Papum Pare, the Balemu-Bomdila road in West Kameng, and the TAH roads in Upper Subansiri, Kurung Kumey and many other districts are blocked due to heavy rain-triggered landslides.
“The works departments are working hard to restore connectivity in all these districts,” the disaster management department informed in a release.
Continuous torrential rain since April has also caused damages to agriculture and horticulture crops, agricultural land, livestock, water pipelines, hydel stations, and electric poles and towers.
The disaster management department has issued directives to all deputy commissioners and stakeholders to remain alert to respond to any disaster emergencies. The department is also in constant touch with agencies like the IMD, the CWC, etc, for early warnings.
The department has alerted the regional response centres in Bomdila, Ziro, Pasighat, Tezu and Khonsa, and the NDRF teams deployed in Bomdila and Namsai.
Relief centres have been set up by the DDMAs in all the districts to shelter the people displaced by landslides. “The department has also placed funds with all the DDMAs under the SDRF for payment of immediate relief,” it said.
The ICR district administration has served evacuation/shifting orders to 279 houses along the Hollongi road to Banderdewa that have been found to be vulnerable to flood and landslides.
Disaster Management Secretary Dani Sulu has cautioned all the deputy commissioners to be on alert and be vigilant during this season.
The department has appealed to the public to remain alert and follow the safety and precautionary measures till the rains subside.
Meanwhile, Defence PRO Lt Col AS Walia informed in a release that incessant heavy rainfall in the last five days and a cloudburst on 17 June has blocked the Orang-Kalaktang-Shergaon-Rupa-Tenga road at multiple locations.
“Landslides of varying sizes occurred at 63 locations, and formation cuttings have been breached,” the PRO said.
He also reported damages to embankments, culverts, retaining walls and drains.
“One family living in a hotel was completely washed away at Km 73,” the release said, adding that, at Km 82, five motorcycles, a Tata Sumo vehicle, four shops and a hotel were washed away.”
It said that 120 civilians, along with two officers, two drivers and three operators of Project Vartak had been stranded at Km 73 “due to formation breach on either side,” but have since been rescued.
“In spite of inclement weather condition and tough terrain, the BRO workers could manage to create a foot track through the slide and breach zone,” the release said.
“Project Vartak has deployed men and machines and is working tirelessly day and night to open the road on priority in spite of all odds. All efforts are on towards restoration of single-lane communication at the earliest and thereafter for all types of vehicular traffic, in case there is no more natural fury,” the release stated. (With inputs from PTI, defence PRO & ICR DIPRO.)
