Monsoon fury batters Arunachal; IAF rescues stranded people, flood toll at three
Heavy monsoon rains continued to wreak havoc across Arunachal Pradesh on Monday (June 29, 2026), with rescue operations underway in several districts as floods and
Heavy monsoon rains continued to wreak havoc across Arunachal Pradesh on Monday (June 29, 2026), with rescue operations underway in several districts as floods and landslides damaged roads, bridges and houses, claimed lives and disrupted connectivity across at least 12 districts. In Lower Dibang Valley district, four people stranded on an island in Sisiri River in Dambuk area were rescued by an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter on Monday (June 29, 2026). Monsoon tracker updates on June 29, 2026 Heavy rainfall has also severely damaged the Roing-Anini road in Lower Dibang Valley district, with flash floods washing away roads and bridges at several locations. In Anjaw district, an excavator operator was feared dead after a massive rock crushed the vehicle engaged in highway construction near Sarti village towards Walong on Sunday (June 28, 2026) night. Rescue operations were suspended overnight due to poor visibility and the risk of further rockfalls before resuming early Monday (June 29, 2026). Police from the Walong Outpost and Hawai Police Station are assisting in the operation, while the affected road has been closed to traffic until debris clearance is completed.
The operator's condition was yet to be officially confirmed. East Siang district remained on high alert as relentless rain triggered landslides, flash floods and road washouts, severely affecting connectivity. Of the 11 major roads hit, only two have been reopened, while nine, including the Pasighat-Pangin, Pasighat-Mariyang-Yingkiong, Pasighat-Mebo-Dambuk-Bomjir, Bilat-Ledum and Pasighat-Yagrung-Ledum-Tene roads, remain blocked or unsafe. The left-side approach to Letong Bridge on the Pasighat-Runne-Takilalung road has been washed away, while roads near Balek Secondary School, Ranaghat Bridge and the Poglek River crossing remain impassable, an official report said. Floodwaters also inundated at least 10 houses in the Ledum area after the river changed its course due to continuous rainfall. One house was almost completely submerged, two cattle were swept away, while a community toilet and a rice mill were on the verge of submergence. Three shops were also damaged. Around 12 families were shifted to safer places, with the displaced taking shelter at relatives' houses, while a community Dere (prayer hall) has been designated as a relief shelter. No casualties or missing persons have been reported, though a vital bridge collapsed, disrupting connectivity.
In Lower Siang district, a massive landslide at Siji blocked the flow of the Siji River near the Likabali checkpost between Siji and Magi, causing water to accumulate upstream. A biker had a miraculous escape after being swept down a slope along with his motorcycle when a landslide struck the area, officials said. Authorities warned of possible danger to downstream areas and deployed police personnel to alert riverside residents to move to safer locations. Officials later said the river resumed its normal flow on Monday morning after the ponded water receded. Meanwhile, search operations entered the sixth day on Monday (June 29, 2026) for two persons still missing in the flash flood that struck Keyi Panyor district last Wednesday. The death toll rose to three after the body of Saurabh Kumar Kharwar was recovered near Hawa Camp in adjoining Papum Pare district on Sunday (June 28, 2026). Earlier, the bodies of a 35-year-old woman and another woman were recovered on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively. Five people had gone missing after the flash flood devastated the NEEPCO colony at Poosa, damaging houses, roads and triggering landslides.
The BriefWire