Cloudburst Triggers Flash Floods and Road Closures in Arunachal

Itanagar: A brutal cloudburst hit East Siang district on Saturday night. Swollen rivers and flash floods tore through the region. Roads vanished. Bridges collapsed. Power lines went down, leaving neighborhoods in the dark.

The Sibo Korong river surged past its banks near Pasighat. It ripped apart local roads and swallowed residential property. Debris-choked water surged toward National Highway-13 between Raneghat Bridge and Ayeng village. A total washout looked likely until intervention arrived.

Zila Parishad Member Bomken Tayeng deployed a JCB to force the floodwater into an existing culvert. The quick work saved the highway from total destruction. Elsewhere, landslides blocked the Raneghat-Bodak route. Mebo MLA Oken Tayeng sent in earthmoving equipment to clear the mess and restore the vital link to Upper Siang district.

The destruction stretched across the region. A road near Remi village was washed away. Businesses and homes in Oyan took a hit. Bridges at Koyu and Kora are gone. District officials ordered schools to shut their doors on June 29 and 30. They are keeping a close eye on the rising water. Residents in vulnerable spots must stay on high alert. Local leaders want action. As one source noted, the people have "urged authorities to expedite restoration of damaged infrastructure, establish relief camps and implement long-term flood mitigation measures to reduce future disaster impacts."