Within a week, Arunachal Pradesh has witnessed a second cloudburst, triggering fresh flash floods and landslides in Keyi Panyor district. Authorities on Sunday recovered the body of a third victim as restoration work continued amid persistent rainfall.
The disaster has washed away homes and bridges, cut off road and rail connectivity and affected neighbouring Assam, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of more heavy rainfall in the coming days.
The Keyi Panyor district administration has also constituted a Verification Committee to assess losses to houses, public infrastructure and other properties affected by the floods.
What happened? Second cloudburst in three days triggers flash floods
The latest disaster struck after a second cloudburst within three days hit parts of Keyi Panyor district, triggering flash floods and landslides that inundated villages, damaged infrastructure and disrupted connectivity across the region.
Continuous rainfall has further complicated rescue and restoration work, with fresh landslides being reported at multiple locations. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under Project Arunank, restored the vital Kimin-Potin road within 36 hours after multiple landslides and road breaches buried sections of the 45-km stretch under mud, rocks and uprooted trees.
The district administration has meanwhile formed a Verification Committee, which has been directed to carry out field inspections and submit a detailed report with recommendations on the extent of the damage.
Death toll, missing people and extent of damage
Authorities recovered the third body on Sunday, taking the death toll in the disaster to three. Rescue teams continue monitoring vulnerable locations while officials assess the full extent of the destruction caused by the floods.
The cloudburst and subsequent flash floods have damaged houses, roads and key public infrastructure across the affected districts. A 300-metre-long iron bridge connecting Kemi and Oyan was washed away, severing connectivity between the Kemi-Purana Jelom area and Jonai Sadar. Landslides have also been reported along the Potin-Possa road, prompting authorities to regulate the movement of heavy vehicles.
Road connectivity has suffered significant disruption, with waterlogging on National Highway 515 leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. Railway operations have also been affected after flooding and bank erosion damaged a railway bridge between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations, forcing the suspension of train services.
Witness accounts: ‘We couldn’t save a single thing’
For survivors, the disaster unfolded within minutes, leaving many with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.
A 46-year-old Rumi Rabha, an employee of NEEPCO, along with her husband, is currently staying at a temporary relief camp after floodwaters washed away her official quarter near Possa village.
“It was raining very heavily, non-stop. Then the boundary wall collapsed, and the water rushed right inside. We managed to get out somehow, but the house was completely swept away. Nothing is left. We are just scraping by on whatever food people give us; that’s how we’re living. We don’t know what will happen later. We had so many belongings, gold and everything. All our possessions were right here in the house. We barely managed to escape, but we couldn’t save a thing.”
Another resident, Jhankeswari Sharma, said she and her husband narrowly escaped after floodwaters entered their home before dawn.
“I woke up before 4:00 AM. My room was flooded. Nothing is left inside. Only the two of us survived. I managed to save my husband as well. I had stepped out onto the veranda, and I called out to him just in time to get him to safety. In all my years living here, I have never seen anything like this… This time we were left with absolutely nothing…The water rose so high that it swept everything out of its path… We couldn’t save a single thing… We built our lives here, never realising that if the river swelled, we wouldn’t even see the danger coming until it was too late.”
Local resident Sajal Pandit said continuous rainfall and recurring landslides have created widespread fear despite restoration efforts by the administration.
“The rain has been continuous, and landslides are occurring as a result. There is a growing sense of panic and fear among everyone. The government is doing a good job, doing the best they can, but given the current bad weather and falling rocks, people are naturally afraid. The administration is opening the road intermittently for short periods, prioritising essential vehicles like ambulances, to let traffic pass, and the general public is also moving through in small batches.”
“It would be best for people to avoid travelling unless it is for something urgent. There is a prevailing sense of fear. The administration has also issued an advisory, and people should follow it. The Yazali police department is also working very hard; they are on duty morning, evening, and night, managing the situation and allowing people to proceed home one by one to ensure there are no issues on the road.”
Impact on Assam
The heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh has also affected neighbouring Assam after the overflowing Leku River inundated several villages in Jonai subdivision.
More than 100 families have been affected, with homes, agricultural land and livestock submerged under floodwaters. Waterlogging on NH-515 has cut off road connectivity between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded.
Rail connectivity has also suffered after more than 110 mm of rainfall in Dhemaji district caused flooding and bank erosion near a railway bridge, leading to the suspension of train services between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations.
Residents said the Leku River had never entered villages on such a large scale before, with several settlements, including Kedichuk, witnessing extensive flooding.
Further weather warning
Even as restoration work continues, authorities have warned that the situation could worsen if heavy rainfall persists.
The East Kameng district administration has issued an advisory after the IMD forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and heavy rainfall across the district from June 28 to July 1. Residents have been advised to remain alert as fresh landslides, flash floods and disruptions to normal life remain possible.
The IMD has also indicated that heavy rainfall is likely to continue across several parts of Arunachal Pradesh over the coming days. Authorities have urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, especially through landslide-prone areas, and strictly follow official advisories until weather conditions improve.