Landslides damage houses, roads in Arunachal Pradesh

ITANAGAR: A series of landslides triggered by incessant rains in the past three days have damaged houses and disrupted surface communication in Arunachal Pradesh with the state capital receiving over 100 mm rain in past 24 hours.

Several houses in Niya Colony near here were damaged by landslides yesterday, while the NH 52(A), lifeline for the capital residents, was also badly damaged in several portions from Itanagar to Karsingsha, officials said.

According to Central Water Commission sub-divisional engineer B R B Verma here, Itanagar witnessed 100.30 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) Guwahati has forecast rain or thunderstorm during June 7 to 11 next.

Landslides have also disrupted surface communication in other parts of the capital complex. Besides, the stretch of NH 52 (A) at Nirjuli has been inundated.

However, men and machines have been deployed on a war footing to clear the road, they said.

At least eight dwelling houses in Yupo Colony in Chandranagar were damaged by landslides. The road leading to the colony has been destroyed.

In all, 57 private and government residential buildings were under threat while a house was washed away in Sector D, Naharlagun, they said.

Five vehicles were buried under mud at Nirjuli, councillor Tarh Nachung said.

The swelling Dikrong River is threatening to inundate the NH 52 (A), while the sinking zone at Karsingsha is eroding fast threatening to delink the highway, PWD (Highway) Executive Engineer Khoda Gyati said.

Gyati has urged the Capital DC to stop traffic movement beyond Nirjuli and divert the traffic via Doimukh for safety of commuters.