Flash Flood, Landslide Hit Arunachal: 5 Soldiers Missing, 4 Dead

Four people reportedly lost their lives and five Army personnel went missing after heavy rain triggered a flash flood and a landslide across two districts in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday evening.

State Emergency Operations Centre officials in Itanagar confirmed that search and rescue operations are under way in Upper Subansiri and Dibang Valley districts.

Four Dead at Road Construction Site

The landslide struck a road cutting site along the Keojaring-Byaching route in Upper Subansiri district, burying several workers under the debris.

Authorities reportedly identified the four deceased as Tadu Baki, Taji Rai, Markosh Basumatari and Babul Ali. The Upper Subansiri district disaster management officer confirmed that rescuers have recovered Babul Ali’s body.

Personnel from Nacho Police Station, alongside Fire and Emergency Services teams from Daporijo and a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) unit, are driving the recovery effort.

Army Shelters Swept Away in Dibang Valley

In a separate disaster in Dibang Valley district, heavy rainfall triggered a flash flood that washed away two shelters belonging to the 5th Grenadiers at the Pasu Pani Army Camp.

Officials reportedly identified the missing personnel as Havaldar Upendar and soldiers Kundan, Vinod, Aditya and Samunda.

Multi-Agency Rescue Operations Mobilised

Two search and rescue teams from the 5th Grenadiers deployed immediately to locate the missing soldiers.

Personnel from the 58th Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the 62 Road Construction Company of the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), local volunteers and the Arunachal Pradesh Police have joined the search in Dibang Valley. An SDRF team from Pasighat is also travelling to Anini to bolster the rescue efforts as per reports.

Authorities Monitor High-Risk Zones

Local administrative bodies and disaster management authorities remain on high alert as rescue teams navigate difficult terrain and adverse weather to trace the missing personnel. Operations at both sites continue around the clock as teams attempt to clear landslide debris and search flood-affected areas downstream.