Arunachal Rescue Mission: Rescuers Stranded While Saving Fishermen, All Safe
In Arunachal Pradesh, heavy monsoon rains have triggered flash floods and landslides, causing widespread damage and claiming at least three lives over the past week. A rescue operation on Sunday turned precarious when seven local residents attempting to save four fishermen stranded in the swollen Sisiri river in Lower Dibang Valley themselves became trapped after their rubber raft overturned in the strong current.
The four fishermen had gone to lay bamboo traps in a stream when sudden flooding stranded them on a river island. A group of locals, acting on humanitarian grounds, set out on a rubber boat to rescue them. They located three of the fishermen and were returning when the boat overturned near the riverbank. According to Dambuk MLA Puinnyo Apum, five individuals managed to swim to shore, while five others were swept away. Four of those swept away found refuge on another river island, and one clung to a drifting log.
By 10:30 pm Sunday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued the person on the log, but five remained stranded. Locals even attempted to use elephants to reach the trapped individuals, but the strong currents prevented their entry. On Monday morning, an Indian Air Force helicopter, initially grounded due to heavy rain, airlifted two people. The remaining, including a fisherman located on a different river island, were rescued by NDRF boats. All four fishermen and seven locals were eventually evacuated safely.
In a separate incident, a massive landslide in Lower Siang district temporarily blocked the Siji river, creating a natural dam that threatened downstream communities with potential flash floods. The district administration issued warnings of a "serious and life-threatening situation." However, by Monday, the water had naturally dissipated through the debris, averting a disaster. The landslide also carried a biker downhill, but he escaped unharmed. Access to the site remains blocked by other landslides, preventing clearance operations.
The state's infrastructure, particularly roads and highways, has sustained significant damage from the relentless rainfall. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and have urged residents to remain vigilant.
