Key Bridge In Arunachal Pradesh Washes Away Amid Heavy Rain, Locals Stranded

A key suspension bridge in Arunachal Pradesh was washed away in the Dri River amid heavy rainfall last week, leaving villagers stranded for days. The two-foot bridge in the Mawali village used to serve as a means of communication and travel for the villagers.

According to officials, at least six people, including three children, were stranded under the Etalin circle in Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Following this, the Dibang Valley administration launched a rescue mission on May 30 and tried to communicate with the villagers. The administration even tried to drop cooked food packets using drones, but incessant rainfall led to the failure of the mission.

Mawali village is 139 kilometres from Anini, the district headquarters of the Dibang Valley district.

Additionally, a team of officials visited Athunli and Echanli villages which suffered heavy damage due to heavy rainfall triggered flash floods and landslides, and took stock of the situation. The team also distributed relief materials during the visit.

Northeastern states have been witnessing heavy rainfall over the past few days, causing floods and landslides. Over 30 people have died in rain-related incidents so far. Multiple agencies have been engaged in providing relief and rescuing stranded people using various means, including an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter and boats, according to officials.

The flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh remained grim on Wednesday with incessant rain causing fresh landslides and floods across the state - affecting over 3,000 people in 23 districts, officials said. At least 12 people died, while search operations are underway for two missing persons. Out of the deaths, seven were reported from East Kameng, two from Lower Subansiri, and one each from Longding, Lohit, and Anjaw districts.

Changlang is the worst-affected district in Arunachal Pradesh, with six villages flooded and 2,231 people left homeless. Flash floods washed away half of the Makantong bridge on the Trans-Arunachal Highway, cutting off road connectivity between Miao and Bordumsa. Additionally, the swollen Noa-Dehing river has caused damage to agricultural and horticultural fields in the Dharmapur block under the Namphai circle, officials said.