By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The body of a school teacher who went missing after a destructive flash flood and debris flow struck Arunachal Pradesh‘s Keyi Panyor district was recovered on Wednesday, while rescue agencies continued an extensive search for four other missing persons.
The deceased has been identified as Nirmala Gupta (35), a teacher at Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya (VKV), NEEPCO, Yazali. Her body was located during a multi-agency rescue operation launched in the aftermath of the disaster that ravaged the NEEPCO Colony area earlier this week.
Authorities said four individuals are still untraceable. They have been identified as Elesh Marak (13), Balari Marak (30), Tao Anjina (46) and Sourav Kumar.
The calamity was triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall that unleashed a sudden surge of water and debris from the Panyor River catchment. The resulting floodwaters swept through residential areas, destroying houses, damaging public infrastructure and forcing several families to evacuate.
Rescue and recovery efforts are being led by personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Arunachal Pradesh Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and district authorities. Teams are conducting searches both in the affected zone and along downstream stretches in hopes of locating the missing individuals.
In separate rescue operations, emergency responders pulled Bishu Sinha to safety from the Yazali reservoir. A scientist associated with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) was also rescued after being stranded along the Itanagar-Hoj-Yazali road corridor.
The disaster has further compounded monsoon-related challenges across western Arunachal Pradesh, severely affecting transportation links in six districts -Upper Subansiri, Kamle, Lower Subansiri, Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi and Keyi Panyor.
Officials reported that multiple landslides have obstructed key road networks, including sections of the Kimin route and the Itanagar-Hoj-Yazali National Highway. Connectivity through the Hoj bridge and adjoining junctions connecting Pakke Kessang and East Kameng districts has also been disrupted.
To restore access, teams from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the state Highway Department have been deployed to clear landslide debris and reopen blocked routes.
The administration has appealed to residents to remain alert, avoid non-essential travel and strictly adhere to official advisories as rescue operations and restoration work continue across the affected region.