Landslide Cuts Off Village Near China Border As Arunachal Floods Wreak Havoc

Flash floods and landslides have caused widespread destruction across Arunachal Pradesh, cutting off the tourist town of Mechuka near the China border, washing away a strategic bridge, and leaving thousands of people affected across the state. Nineteen ITBP personnel who had lost contact with their base have now reached safety.

Nineteen Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, who had lost contact with their base from a forward area outpost during flash floods since Sunday in Kurung Kumey district, have reached base camp. Their outpost was submerged and damaged in the floods, but all 19 personnel are safe and have no significant medical issues.

The personnel walked back on foot and were expected to reach Damin headquarters the same day, sources said. ADC Damin headquarters Pranjal Bora coordinated the entire rescue operation. Local MLA Pani Taram is set to conduct an aerial survey of the flood-hit Damin and Parsi Parlo sub-division.

A massive rockslide has blocked all surface transport to Mechuka in the Shi Yomi district, which borders China, officials said. The rockslide was caused by heavy rainfall in the area.

Mechuka is a globally known tourist spot, visited by hundreds of tourists, including foreign visitors, particularly during the winter months. The area also has a significant security presence given its strategic location near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which marks the boundary between India and China.

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is carrying out road construction work in the area alongside other agencies. Residents and commuters travelling along key stretches from Pene to Tato, Mechuka and Manigong continue to face serious risks from recurring landslides, even on clear, sunny days. These incidents have largely been blamed on improper and unprofessional road cutting methods used by construction companies working in the area.

An 84-metre bridge over the Kumey river was washed away in flash floods triggered by continuous rain, cutting off eight villages in the Kra Daadi district from the rest of the state since Monday. The area is not far from the China border.

The bridge, on the Yangte to Tali road in Kurung Kumey district, had been reconstructed and inaugurated by Chief Minister Pema Khandu on 25 February 2023. It served as a crucial link between Yangte and Tali, close to the LAC. As a precaution, heavy vehicles have been advised to avoid the bridge until its safety can be assessed.

Local ZPM Rughu Tama has appealed to the authorities concerned to inspect and repair the bridge immediately to prevent any untoward incident.

Flash floods and landslides have claimed seven lives and left 29 people injured across Arunachal Pradesh, official sources said. At least 97,182 people have been affected by the floods in 425 villages spread across all 26 districts of the state, according to state government reports.