Arunachal floods claim 11 lives; 938 affected across 23 districts

The death toll from floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains in Arunachal Pradesh has risen to 11, with a 38-year-old labourer, Bhaben Murmu, losing his life in a wall collapse in Anjaw district on June 1. 

Three GREF workers were also injured in the incident, according to the State Emergency Operations Centre.

As per official reports, 938 people across 156 villages in 23 districts have been affected. Lower Subansiri is among the worst-hit, witnessing the destruction of 114 kutcha houses, 45 pucca houses, nine huts, and major damage to infrastructure, including 51 roads, 17 power lines, 23 water pipelines, and two schools.

In the Itanagar Capital Region and Pakke Kessang, floodwaters have damaged critical assets such as the ICR’s main water pipeline and the road at Dariya Hill. Other affected districts include West Kameng, Kamle, Papum Pare, Dibang Valley, Lohit, Changlang, and Kra Daadi, as rivers continue to flow above danger levels.

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Agricultural damage has been extensive, with 15 hectares of crop fields, eight hectares of horticultural plantations, and seven hectares of farmland reported damaged. In Changlang district, flash floods from the Buri-Dihing River washed away part of the Makantong bridge, cutting off the Miao-Bordumsa road on the Trans-Arunachal Highway.

Popular tourist spots like Zupra and River Cafe have been submerged. The ITI at Balinong in Kharsang circle also suffered massive infrastructure loss, and the Noa-Dehing River has severely eroded farmlands in Namphai circle.

Upper Subansiri’s water supply was disrupted after the Hangkar pipeline suffered multiple breaches. Emergency water is being supplied via tankers while PHED teams work on repairs.

A relief camp has been set up at Alubari Government Secondary School in Namsai district, sheltering 59 displaced individuals. So far, 18 people have been rescued, including 14 labourers airlifted from Lower Dibang Valley and four others from Jallukbari village in Lohit.

State Disaster Management Secretary Dani Sulu confirmed that rescue and relief operations are in full swing.