Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Itanagar: A flash flood tore through the Panyor Lower Hydroelectric Power Station colony in Arunachal Pradesh on June 24. The deluge hit at 6:30 am after intense rain started three hours earlier. Two small streams burst their banks. The water swept away 24 homes and wrecked several others.
One person died in the chaos. Four others remain missing. Emergency crews from the State Disaster Response Force and the Indian Air Force are scouring the site for survivors. Officials airlifted the injured to safety during the initial response.
The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) says the catastrophe came from a tiny catchment area. It denies any link to their dam operations. The company stated, "The flash flood resulted from localized heavy rainfall and not due to any sudden increase in river flow from upstream."
NEEPCO claims their Early Warning System showed no abnormal activity at the reservoir. The corporation maintains that downstream areas escaped damage. State authorities and the power company continue to lead the relief mission.
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