East Siang (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], July 1 (ANI): As Arunachal Pradesh continues to grapple with floods and heavy rain, Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday visited flood-affected areas in East Siang district, as part of a wider tour in the state, which is battered by heavy rain, flash floods and landslides over the last few days.
The two ministers reviewed the damage on the ground and interacted with affected families.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, an MP from the state, spoke about the wider scale of the disaster affecting both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
"Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have been severely affected by flooding following more than 200 millimetres of rainfall in a single night. There has been significant damage. We have nearly completed the Arunachal Pradesh leg of the visit. We arrived in Pasighat and visited several affected sites, having already reviewed the situation last night," he told ANI.
He added that infrastructure across the region had taken a severe hit and a report about the same would be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
He said, "There has been extensive damage to infrastructure. Roads, electricity supply, and water supply systems have been severely affected. Therefore, the Central Government will provide all necessary assistance. A report will be sent to the Home Ministry from here."
Describing the scale of destruction he witnessed, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "Hailstorm has caused massive devastation. We are currently in Pasighat and have witnessed the damage here; it is extensive. Household belongings have been ruined, many houses have been washed away, and crops in the fields have been destroyed. Much of our infrastructure, be it roads or bridges, has been demolished."
He assured that the Centre and state government would work to help those affected, adding, "Under the leadership of the Chief Minister and with the blessings of the Prime Minister, the state and central governments will work together to provide full support to all the brothers and sisters affected by the floods and help them overcome this crisis."
Arunachal Pradesh witnessed heavy rainfall, cloudbursts and flash floods, particularly in Keyi Panyor district, where multiple casualties have been reported.
Earlier, Kiren Rijiju assured the families that help would be provided to them while visiting the affected areas along with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
Rijiju shared a post on his official 'X' handle and informed about the development during his visit to Itanagar on Tuesday. He also interacted with the families affected due to the flash floods and assured them of every possible help from the government."Assured the flood-affected families of all help during day one visit to Arunachal Pradesh, along with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, CM of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu," he wrote on 'X'.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh has caused the Leku River to overflow, leading to severe flooding in Assam's Jonai region. More than 100 families have been affected, with houses, agricultural fields and livestock submerged. Floodwaters also inundated National Highway 515, disrupting connectivity between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. (ANI)
