Arunachal Pradesh landslide: Rajnath Singh reviews situation

Home Minister Rajnath Singh today reviewed the flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh, which has been hit by a massive landslide that left 14 people dead. Rajnath Singh called up Chief Minister Kalikho Pul and took stock of the situation in the state following the landslide in border town Tawang and floods in Changlang and a few other districts.

Singh has assured full central assistance to Arunachal Pradesh to tackle the floods situation arising due to a swollen Noa Dehing river. The Home Minister has asked Director General of National Disaster Response Force O P Singh to rush rescue teams to landslide-hit Famla village in Tawang, bordering China, official sources said.

In Tawang, so far 14 bodies have been retrieved along with one injured person from the spot which was hit by landslide. Two others are feared to be trapped in the debris.

The incident occurred at around 3.30 AM when 17 labourers engaged in construction work were inside the camp in Thamla, about four km away from Tawang town, bordering China. Continuous rain in the last couple of days has triggered floods in several districts of Arunachal Pradesh, including capital Itanagar.

Rain continues to wreak havoc in Namsai and Changlang districts with reports of rising water of the Noa Dehing and the Jengthu rivers inundating fresh areas besides damaging several flood protection embankments.