Guwahati: Death toll from the devastating flash flood that struck Arunachal Pradesh‘s Keyi Panyor district on June 24 following a cloudburst rose to three on Sunday after rescue teams recovered the body of the lone missing person nearly 10 kilometres downstream from the disaster site.
The cloudburst struck Poosa village earlier this week, unleashing flash floods and landslides that swept away 18 residential quarters belonging to the NEEPCO colony. The disaster also caused severe damage to roads and public infrastructure, leaving several parts of the state isolated.
With all missing persons now accounted for, search operations have been officially called off. However, the focus has shifted to restoring road connectivity, a task complicated by relentless monsoon rains and repeated landslides.
Officials said at least seven districts, including strategically important areas near the Indo-China border, continue to remain inaccessible after major highways were blocked by mudslides, flooding and road collapses.
Fresh rainfall has once again disrupted traffic on the Kimin-Potin road, while the Hoj-Potin stretch of National Highways 13 and 713A remains closed. The highway serves as a crucial transport corridor linking central and upper Arunachal Pradesh, and its closure has affected travel to Keyi Panyor, Lower Subansiri, Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi, Kamle, Upper Subansiri and adjoining districts.
The district administration has appealed to the public to avoid unnecessary travel through the affected routes, cautioning that unstable hill slopes and continuous rainfall could trigger additional landslides.
Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner Lobsang Tsering visited the damaged locations on Sunday to assess restoration efforts. He said the extent of destruction was significant and indicated that reopening the affected highway could take more than a week.
According to officials, the Public Works Department’s Highway Division has deployed heavy earthmoving equipment to clear debris and repair damaged stretches. Progress, however, has been hampered by adverse weather conditions and shortages of fuel required to operate the machinery.
PWD Junior Engineer Nagesh Kumar Singh said the cloudburst and subsequent erosion have created vertical gorges measuring nearly 40 to 50 metres deep at several locations, making reconstruction highly challenging. He added that repairing the worst-hit sections could take over a month.
Authorities said restoration work is continuing on a war footing despite persistent rain, with teams working to reconnect isolated districts and restore the movement of people and essential supplies.