Heavy rainfall affects life, disrupts NH traffic

Itanagar, June 15: Torrential rains during the past couple of days have thrown life out of gear in Arunachal Pradesh, especially in this capital city.

A seven-year-old girl had a miraculous escape after she was extricated from her temporary dwelling which was almost crushed by a landslide here yesterday.

A senior police team rushed her to the R K Mission Hospital, police said.

Meanwhile, a boat, which ferried villagers of Tigdo and Yupia across the Dikrong river to Doimukh, was washed away by the strong current, Anchal Samiti Member Teri Racho said. He requested the district administration to provide a new boat for maintaining connectivity.

Unofficial sources said many houses of labourers on the bank of river Dinkrong in Leki village were washed away by the flood waters.

Another house on the hill facing the river was destroyed by the landslide.

Poor workers, braving torrential rains, were standing on the highway with whatever household items they could manage to save.

Rows of sheds inhabited by hundreds of labourers at the river bank were facing threat of flood fury.

Besides, flash floods caused by the swelling Nirubjuli river washed away six houses, the Nirjuli-III Village Development Committee (NVDC) informed the chief minister in a letter and pleaded for relief operations.

The NVDC cautioned that the floods might affect over 500 villagers, if the river was not tamed and requested for immediate steps to protect the village from floods.

Meanwhile, hundreds of vehicles were stranded at Karsingsa for over an hour after the rain-triggered landslide blocked the road.

Over 100 mm rainfall was recorded during the past 24 hours in the state capital and its adjoining areas.

National Highway 52A was submerged completely and poor visibility made driving difficult.

Met sources said the highest rainfall in Itanagar this year - over 180 mm - was recorded on May 23.

The team of the BRO's 1353 Garrison Engineer unit swung its engineers and machineries into action and cleared the blockade.

Finally, normal traffic flow was restored but there was no respite from the rain which continued to pour.

UNI