ITANAGAR, July 20 ? The flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh further worsened today with inundation of many fresh areas, mostly in six districts, four of which ? Lohit, East Siang, Lower Dibang and Anjaw ? remained cut off for more than two weeks following heavy landslides and washing away of bridges, reports PTI. Pasighat, the district headquarters of East Siang, remained submerged without power supply for the last fortnight following breakdown of Yambung and Pasighat hydel projects.
The people of the area are facing acute shortage of drinking water, with the administration advising them to consume rain water and use chlorine tablets. There was around one-metre deep water around AIR station, BSNL and DC's offices, official sources said. They said Mebo, Bital and Koyu circles were also devastated. More than five bridges and some portions of road links were washed away at several places. All the schools have been closed in the district for one week.
More than 1.5 lakh people were affected due to the flood. Many government and private buildings and standing crops also were destroyed under the impact of the flood water, the sources said. The state had been experiencing heavy downpour for about one month. The people heaved a sigh of relief for about two days last week when rainfall stopped and flood water started receeding. The situation worsened again due to continuous downpur for the last four days and a second wave of flood engulfing the state last week. Red alert was sounded by the district administration in Changlang as water of river Noa-dihing gushed into the area affecting about 500 families.
The Chief Minister Gegong Apang who returned here this morning from New Delhi had urged the union home ministry to release Rs 200 crore immediately to cope up with ''terrible'' flood situation in the state. Apang said in a statement that the plight of the people of Arunachal Pradesh was worse than those in the other north eastern states. ''Ours is a completely landlocked and mounteneous state where the movement of goods even in normal times is difficult'', Apang said. Army and state helicopters had been pressed into service for airdropping the relief materials in different points of the hilly region but their number was inadequate, Relief Commissioner M K Parida said adding that the death toll, however, remained at ten.