Arunachal floods: Five Army personnel missing, four dead in separate landslide incident

Five Army personnel went missing after flash floods swept away shelters at a camp in Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang Valley, while four labourers died in a landslide in Upper Subansiri district. Rescue teams from multiple agencies are conducting search operations

Itanagar: Five Army personnel reportedly went missing after a flash flood swept away two shelters at an Army camp in Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang Valley district, while four people were killed in a landslide at a road construction site in Upper Subansiri district, officials said on Saturday.

Officials of the State Emergency Operations Centre said that both incidents occurred late on Friday evening following heavy rainfall.

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In Dibang Valley, a flash flood swept away two shelters of the 5th Grenadier at Pasu Pani Army Camp. Seven personnel were washed away, of whom two were rescued, while five remain missing.

Two search and rescue teams of the 5th Grenadier have been deployed, while personnel of the 58th Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), 62 RCC of the General Reserve Engineer Force, Arunachal Pradesh Police and local volunteers have joined the operation.

A team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Pasighat is also being sent to Anini to assist in the search and rescue operation.

In Upper Subansiri district, four people were killed after a major landslide struck the Keojaring-Byaching road construction site, burying several workers under the debris.

The deceased have been identified as Tadu Baki, Taji Rai, Markosh Basumatari and Babul Ali.

The body of Ali has been recovered, the district disaster management officer said. Personnel from Nacho Police Station have been deployed for the search and recovery operation, while Fire and Emergency Services teams from Daporijo and the State Disaster Response Force are being mobilised to assist in the operation.

Further, the SDRF team will move from Ziro to Daporijo tomorrow and thereafter proceed to Nacho. The team will report to the OC, Nacho, and will be assisted by a local guide from Daporijo during the search and recovery operation.

All concerned agencies are being coordinated for the safe and effective conduct of the search and rescue operation. The twin incidents come amid heavy rainfall in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, triggering flash floods and landslides and posing challenges to rescue and relief operations in several remote areas.