Search continues for four missing in Arunachal flash floods; landslides block key roads
An IAF helicopter and multiple ground teams are searching for four people missing after flash floods hit Arunachal Pradesh's Keyi Panyor district. The disaster has damaged homes, cut off districts and blocked key roads as the state steps up relief efforts.
- Jun 25, 2026,
- Updated Jun 25, 2026, 1:09 PM IST
- Flash floods hit Poosa's NEEPCO Colony after incessant rain on Wednesday morning
- Around 18 residential units were damaged, with 17 injured residents reported
- Rescuers resumed operations early Thursday despite difficult terrain and widespread blockages
Search and rescue operations intensified across Arunachal Pradesh's Keyi Panyor district on June 25, with an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and police teams deployed to trace four people who remain missing after flash floods triggered by incessant rainfall.
The flash flood struck the NEEPCO Colony area at Poosa on Wednesday morning, damaging homes, severing road links and triggering landslides across several locations. Authorities are simultaneously working to restore connectivity by clearing roads blocked by debris, sludge and boulders.
Disaster Management Secretary Dani Sulu said rescue teams resumed operations early on Thursday despite difficult terrain and widespread road blockages. Personnel from the district administration, police, SDRF, NEEPCO, ex-servicemen and local volunteers have joined the search effort. An IAF helicopter has also airlifted additional SDRF personnel and rescue equipment to the Pitapool area to strengthen operations.
Preliminary assessments indicate that around 18 residential units in and around the NEEPCO Colony were damaged. A 35-year-old woman was found dead on Wednesday, while 17 others sustained injuries.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said the priority remains locating the four missing persons while restoring access to affected areas. Two excavators have been deployed to clear the road towards Potin. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is carrying out road clearance work from the Kimin side, while restoration work is also progressing from the Hoj side.
Heavy rainfall has 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.
The state Home Department said continuous rain has blocked several major roads in Keyi Panyor and Papum Pare districts, including the Sagalee-Hoj route, Pitapool-Toru Road, Pitapool-Hoj Road and multiple stretches of the Kimin Bypass. People have been advised to avoid these routes until normal traffic is restored.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed grief over the loss of lives and damage caused by the disaster, assuring affected families of full government support. He said all concerned agencies have been mobilised for rescue and relief operations, while the state government is closely monitoring the situation and ensuring rescue, relief and medical assistance reach those affected.
