7 Dead, 1 Missing in Landslide Triggered after Incessant Rains in Arunachal Pradesh

Seven persons were killed while one went missing in incidents of landslides in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday, even as the landlocked state grappled with a series of earthfalls due to incessant rains for the last five days, officials said.

Four members of a family, including an eight-month-old baby, were among those killed as a massive landslide hit their house at Tigdo village in Papum Pare district in the wee hours.

The landslide that occurred around 2.30 am buried the house with all the occupants sleeping, Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pige Ligu said.

The bodies were retrieved from the debris by police and NDRF personnel with the help of locals, he said.

The house belonged to Tana Neka and the deceased were his two sons, daughter-in-law and grandchild, Ligu said.

However, Neka and his wife are safe as they live in another house, he added.

Those killed were identified as Tana Martin (22), his wife Yabung Lindum, daughter Tana Yasum (eight months) and brother Tana John.

In another incident, three members of a family were killed while one went missing as their house in Modirijo, near the Lingalaya temple, was swept away in a major landslide around 11.30 am, Superintendent of Police (Capital) Tumme Amo said.

Kamdak Tado, the owner of the house, was at his neighbour's place when the incident occurred. His wife and two daughters were buried alive.

Eight-year-old Lokam Rona ran out of the house and a girl, Lokam Gandhi (15), who was trapped inside the debris, was rescued, Amo said, adding that she sustained injuries on her leg and was shifted to the Ramkrishna Mission Hospital here for treatment.

Police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel retrieved three bodies from the debris, while a hunt for the missing person was on, Amo said.

The deceased were identified as Kamduk Kagung (30), wife of Kamdak Tado, and Kamdak Karna (9) and Kamdak Jita (8) -- both daughters of Tado.

A hunt is on for another woman, Lokam Minu (20).

With this, the death toll due to monsoon-related incidents in the state has climbed to 14.

Expressing grief, Chief Minister Pema Khandu ordered all possible relief and an ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.

He appealed to the people residing in vulnerable areas to be cautious and move to safer places.

Khandu said according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rain is expected across the state in the next few days, and urged people to take all precautionary measures.

Incessant rains for the last five days have triggered landslides and floods that have left a trail of devastation in the state, damaging roads, houses and inundating low-lying areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the deaths, saying, "Saddened by the loss of lives due to heavy rains as well as landslides in Arunachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected," said PM Modi.

Landslides have been reported from various locations in and around the state capital region.

Besides, road communication has been badly affected and the water level in the streams and rivers in the state capital has risen. The water supply project at Poma has also been damaged due to a landslide.

Public Health and Engineering department officials said water supply to Itanagar would be affected as the restoration work would take at least four days.

A mudslide at the Dokum colony damaged houses in the Chimpu area. A road in Niti Vihar was also affected due to a landslide on Thursday, officials said.

A landslide hit the Waii International Hotel here, damaging its staff quarters, they added.

Besides damaging a long stretch of road from the gate of Dera Natug Government College to Upper Vivek Vihar here, landslides have blocked a road from the Hilltop colony to the IRBn colony.

PWD Assistant Engineer B Tadar said a large stretch of the Papu Nallah-Itanagar road via Jullang has also been damaged.

A culvert near the Nyishi Elite Society (NES) secretariat at Richi was washed away, due to which the road has been closed, officials said.

A series of landslides and flash floods has left a trail of destruction in East Siang district.

The washing away of a 30-foot approach road to a bridge over the Sile river has affected communication on the Mirem Mikong-Ruksin road under Ruksin sub-division.

Several pockets of Pasighat, the district headquarters of East Siang, are facing a flood-like situation with the low-lying areas completely inundated.

The Siang river and all its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark and the district administration has issued advisories, asking people not to venture into the rivers.

East Siang DC Kinny Singh has activated the Incident Response Team and directed the district disaster management officer and incident commanders to remain alert.

He has also cautioned people against venturing into the Siang and Sibo Korong rivers for fishing and other activities.

All the major rivers and their tributaries are in spate in Lohit, Dibang Valley, Lower Dibang Valley, West Kameng and Namsai districts.