‘Worse Than 2009’: Torrential rain ravages Arunachal's Potin, landslides cripple roads

A local resident, Lichi Baka, said incessant heavy rainfall since June 24 has triggered widespread devastation in the Potin area, with landslides severely damaging roads and disrupting connectivity.

"It started raining heavily on June 24, almost like water being dumped from the sky. We had experienced something similar back in 2009, but this time it was far worse," Baka said.

He said the situation at the Potin tri-junction is particularly critical, with roads leading to Hoj and Potin badly damaged, making it difficult even for pedestrians to pass. The road towards Kimin was also hit by multiple landslides, prompting the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to deploy three to four machines and carry out restoration work until midnight to clear the route.

According to Baka, the district administration, local residents and volunteers are jointly engaged in relief and restoration efforts. Authorities are hopeful of opening a single-lane route for vehicular traffic by Friday evening or, at the latest, by Saturday.

He also claimed that the NIPCO project site has been severely affected by the disaster, with reports suggesting that three to six people are still missing.