ITANAGAR, 30 Jun: The flood situation worsened in Arunachal Pradesh, as one more person died, taking the toll to four, while 21 others were injured in the state, where 90,499 people were affected in almost all 28 districts, the authorities said on Tuesday.

Two persons also remained missing as heavy rain, causing flash floods and landslides, battered the state over the past seven days, damaging houses, roads, bridges and public infrastructure, a report of the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu and union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Kiren Rijiju undertook an aerial and ground assessment of the flood-ravaged Keyi Panyor district during the day.

The development came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Khandu over the phone to take stock of the flood situation across the state.

On Monday, the deluge affected at least 12 districts.

 According to the SEOC report, around 90,499 people in 251 villages in 202 circles of the state have been affected since 24 June.

Upper Siang district reported the highest number of affected people at 47,357, followed by Siang (23,715), Kra Daadi (8,171) and East Kameng (5,895).

According to a delayed report, one person died in a landslide at Sarti village in Anjaw district on 28 June.

The three other deaths occurred in the flash flood that struck Possa in Keyi Panyor district on 24 June.

The report said that 21 people were injured in the Keyi Panyor disaster, while two women are still missing.

“Warmly welcomed Hon’ble Union Ministers Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Ji and Shri Kiren Rijiju Ji on their visit to Arunachal to assess the flood situation and the damage caused by the recent calamity,” Khandu said in a post on X.

Chouhan, the union agriculture minister, and Rijiju, union parliamentary affairs minister and an MP of the state, reviewed the damage caused by the floods, assessed the ongoing relief measures and interacted with state officials to take stock of the rehabilitation efforts being undertaken in the affected areas, officials said.

The CM expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deputing the ministers to the state.

Chouhan later said the two ministers had come to the state at the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assess the situation on the ground and ensure that all support is extended to the affected people.

He said standing crops, including paddy, oranges and bananas, had also suffered extensive losses, badly affecting the livelihoods of farmers.

“We have spoken to our brothers and sisters here and witnessed the extent of the destruction. The losses are enormous,” the union agriculture minister said.

The SEOC report said that as many as 342 kutcha houses, 82 pucca houses and 37 huts have been damaged across the state. It also recorded the deaths of 130 poultry birds, 613 small animals and six large animals.

The monsoon fury has also caused extensive damage to infrastructure, with 80 roads, 12 bridges, 18 culverts, 147 water supply schemes, 21 power lines, 60 electric poles, seven flood protection walls, four hydropower projects, four government buildings and two hospitals affected.

Several roads in Keyi Panyor, Papum Pare, East Siang, Upper Siang, Pakke-Kessang, Lower Dibang Valley and Kra Daadi remain blocked or are under restoration.

The report added that 1,010 hectares of forest area and 312.2 hectares of agricultural and horticultural land have been affected by the rain-related disasters.

Rescue and relief operations are continuing with the deployment of the NDRF, SDRF, state police, Indian Air Force, civil aviation helicopters and local volunteers.

Stranded people have been rescued from Keyi Panyor and Lower Dibang Valley, while relief camps have been opened in the worst-hit areas.

Relief materials, including food grains, medicines and other essential supplies, are being distributed to affected families, the report added.

Governor KT Parnaik on Tuesday stressed the need for a “whole of the state” approach to deal with the natural calamity.

At a meeting held at the Lok Bhavan earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pema Khandu briefed the governor on the prevailing flood situation in the state and the relief and safety measures being undertaken for affected communities.

Parnaik also lauded the dedicated services of the State Disaster Response Force, district administrations, public works, civil aviation and disaster management departments, the Indian Red Cross Society, volunteers and locals for their efforts in rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations.

Flash floods, landslides wreak havoc in L/Siang

Flash floods and landslides affected more than 3,100 people across 14 villages in Lower Siang district, officials said on Tuesday.

District Information and Public Relations Officer (DIPRO) Augusti Jamoh said the disaster has extensively damaged wet rice cultivation fields, private properties and public infrastructure across the Nari-Koyu assembly constituency.

Road connectivity has been completely snapped in several villages, including Tabiripo Saku, Loglu, Rotte, Rame and Koyu village, leaving nearly 500 households isolated. However, no loss of life or injuries has been reported so far, he said.

The district administration, in coordination with the Army, ITBP, BRO, state police and local volunteers, has launched relief operations and is working on a war footing to restore road connectivity, he added.

Kurung Kumey DIPRO David Koyu, a resident of the affected Rotte village, said a significant portion of the area was washed away, causing extensive damage to paddy fields, horticulture gardens and agricultural land, the primary source of livelihood for local residents.

Several vehicles were swept away in the deluge, while a large number of livestock, including pigs and poultry, were also lost, he said.

The disaster forced villagers to flee their homes and take shelter in nearby paddy huts, where many remained stranded. During the chaos, two houses were destroyed in a fire that broke out while the occupants were away, Koyu said.

He said the village’s hanging bridge was washed away and approach roads and culverts extensively damaged, leaving Rotte completely cut off. The village’s water supply system was destroyed, while electricity poles and power lines were swept away.

Locals and student organisations appealed to the government for urgent restoration of road connectivity, construction of a temporary bridge, supply of food grains, and restoration of drinking water and electricity.

A comprehensive assessment of the damage is also being carried out to facilitate compensation and rehabilitation for the affected families, officials said.

Meanwhile, Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner Lobsang Tsering, along with officials from various departments, conducted a comprehensive ground assessment of flood-affected areas in Sagalee division on 29 June, following the cloudburst and flash floods that struck the district on 24 June.

The assessment covered several villages under Toru circle, including Yayee-I, Yayee-II, Hoj-II, Luksin, Yabi, Goya, Hoj Dakte, Yayee Poll, Soto and Techir, where the team inspected the extent of damage to residential houses, roads, agricultural land and other public infrastructure.

Dakte Hoj panchayat was the worst-affected area, particularly the villages of Luksin, Yayee, Bodhe Happa, Yabi, Goya-I and Goya-II, where several houses were destroyed, rendering many families homeless. Agricultural and horticultural fields also suffered extensive damage.

During the visit, the deputy commissioner interacted with the affected residents, many of whom reported extensive losses to their homes and livelihoods.

Relief materials have been handed over to the Toru circle officer and the GPC of Hoj for distribution among the affected families.

The assessment team included Sagalee SDO Kipa Raja, District Disaster Management Officer Nima Tashi, officials from the RWD, PWD, (PHED&WS), Power Department, along with the Toru ZPM, GPC Dakte Hoj, GPMs, gaon buras and officials.

Our correspondent adds: In East Siang district, Pasighat East MLA Tapi Darang, accompanied by ZPC Ruth Tabing Boko and departmental engineers,visited flood-hit areas in his constituency on Monday and directed the officials of the departments concerned to assess the damaged infrastructure and prepare a restoration plan at the earliest.

During the visit, the MLA and his team noticed widespread damage to dwellings, roads, culverts and bridges, water supply pipes, and other public infrastructure.

Local PRI leaders, including the ZPMs of Bogong Banggo and Bosing Banggo blocks, assisted the team during the visit.

The ZPC later visited several rain-affected areas in Mebo and heard the grievances of the affected families.

Continuing the post-flood visit, Boko, along with PWD and RWD officials on Tuesday visited Ledum area and took stock of the situation.

She also visited the Remo bridge road near Ledum village, which collapsed on Sunday.

The PWD has deployed men and machinery to restore road connectivity along the route. The restoration work is expected to be completed in a couple of days.

The ZPC assured the people that she would submit the reports to the departments concerned to initiate early measures for relief and restoration of damaged infrastructure. (With PTI and DIPRO inputs)