Brahmaputrta's level rising: IAF rescues 19 stranded on an island in Arunachal

China had alerted India about the rising water in river Tsangpo, called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam, leading to possibility of floods in downstream areas.

Itanagar, Aug 31: Heavy rains in China have led the water levels in Siang, a tributary of Brahmaputra, to rise. 19 persons were stranded on an island in the swelling Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday. On Friday morning, these stranded people were rescued by Indian Air Force (IAF)'s Helicopters.

IAF chopper at work

"The rescue mission started at 4:30 am and was over in an hour. A total of 19 persons stranded in the island were air lifted by the IAF helicopters. Four youths and an elderly man chose to stay behind," a Hindustan Times report quoted Tamiyo Tatak, deputy commissioner of East Siang, as saying.

(Image courtesy - ANI/Twitter)

Rescued people

China had alerted India about the rising water in river Tsangpo, called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam, leading to possibility of floods in downstream areas.

(Image courtesy - ANI/Twitter)

People were stranded on an island

A senior official of the Union Water Resources Ministry said it was an unprecedented situation on the Chinese side where Tsangpo broke a 150-year record with swollen waters and hence China has shared the information with India. Ering said the communication from China came following heavy rains in that country after which Tsangpo was in spate.

(Image courtesy - ANI/Twitter)

Brahmaputra river

The Brahmaputra River, also called Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan language, originates on the Angsi Glacier located on the northern side of the Himalayas in Burang of Tibet. The Brahmaputra enters India in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called Siang. It makes a very rapid descent from its original height in Tibet, and finally appears in the plains, where it is called Dihang.