ITANAGAR, July 19 ? Torrential rains in the past 20 days have created a ?terrible situation? in flood-affected Arunachal Pradesh, leaving at least 10 dead amidst fear of a higher toll, state relief commissioner said on Sunday. Chief Minister Gegong Apang sought Rs. 200 crore from the Centre for relief in the State where army authorities had been alerted. Relief Commissioner MK Parida told a press conference here that due to change of course of Sibo Korang and Monag rivers, half of Pasighat, headquarters of East Siang district, was submerged affecting around 15,000 people.
While 10 deaths were reported so far in the State because of floods, the actual toll might be much higher as information could not be collected due to disruption of communication links with many areas, he said. Three deaths were reported from East Kameng district while East Siang, Upper Subansiri and Lower Dibang Valley each reported two deaths and Tirap one. Anjaw and Lower Dibang Valley districts were completely cut off and even telecommunication links were snapped. Other mainly affected districts were East Siang and Lohit. About 1.5 lakh people were affected by the floods in the four districts.
He said Apang, who is in New Delhi now, called on Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and demanded immediate release of Rs 200 crore as relief. He also requested Patil to undertake an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in the State. Parida said the Chief Minister had instructed him that funds from every department be diverted for immediate relief operation as the Centre assured him to re-imburse the amount.