Second victim found in Arunachal floods; search for three missing continues
Rescue teams in Arunachal Pradesh's Keyi Panyor district recovered the body of a second victim on Saturday, June 27, 2026, after a cloudburst and flash floods struck a hydropower project colony on June 24.
The victim was identified as 30-year-old Ballari Marak, a resident of Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi district. The first body, that of Nirmala Gupta, a 35-year-old teacher at NEEPCO's Vivekananda Kendriya Vidyalaya, was recovered on the day of the disaster.
The North Eastern Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO), a Central public sector undertaking, operates the hydropower project where the incident occurred.
Superintendent of Police Angad Mehta stated that the State Disaster Response Force and local police are continuing search and rescue operations for the three remaining missing persons despite adverse conditions.
He also reported that the strategic Potin-Kimin Road, a vital link for Keyi Panyor and five other districts in central Arunachal Pradesh, remains blocked due to persistent landslides and continuous slippage of earth and debris onto the carriageway, even after repeated clearance attempts.
“We have deployed police personnel at vulnerable locations to facilitate landslide clearance operations, regulate traffic, and ensure public safety,” Mr. Mehta said.
Restoration work on the road is ongoing on a war footing, subject to weather conditions. Priority is given to emergency vehicles, essential supplies, and engineering equipment to restore connectivity.
