E-Paper
Arunachal Pradesh braces for flash floods as Siang rises dramatically
The water levels of Siang reached to 418.4 metres at midnight in Tuting in the Upper Siang district.
Arunachal Pradesh continues to be on high alert after the level of Siang river rose dramatically as water overflowed from an artificial lake in neighbouring Tibet that had formed after a landslide blocked the river upstream where it is called Yarlung Tsangpo.
In East Siang district, many people living near the banks of the Siang river have been evacuated to safer locations as a precautionary measure, officials said.
According to reports, eight teams of the National Disaster Response Force landed at the Advance Landing Ground in Pasighat Saturday morning from Bhubaneswar.
At 9 am, the water levels stood at 151.4 metres at Pasighat in East Siang district and are expected to rise to 155.5 metres — 1.5 metres above the danger mark, according to the central water commission.
The water levels of Siang reached to 418.4 metres at midnight in Tuting in the Upper Siang district. “Water Level on river #Siang at #Tuting(Monitorimg stn.) in #Upper Siang dist. of #Arunachal Pradesh at 2400 hrs is 418.4 m rising trend which is 2.03m below its HFL420.43m.CWC.ND,” the commission said in a tweet.
Deputy Commissioner of Upper Siang, Duly Kamduk said no damage has been reported in the district.
The water level in Siang fell by more than 8 metres by 7 am in Tuting even as it rose in Pasighat.
“River Siang at Tuting in Upper Siang Dt Arunachal Pradesh has fallen by more than 8 m by 0700 hrs 20-10-2018 from the peak level attained during midnight on 19-10-2018.Hydrograph is appended,” the Commission said in a tweet.
The Siang becomes the Brahmaputra once it enters Assam.
The CWC had cautioned people to avoid river front and river related activities after it lost data communication from the Chinese side.
Department of Disaster Management, Arunachal Pradesh, too, has earlier conveyed to the district administration in East Siang to take precautionary measures to meet any eventualities as the water levels were expected to rise suddenly.
East Siang district administration had issued an alert as it cautioned people not to venture into Siang and peripheral areas to collect driftwood, fishing or swimming apprehending a sudden flash flood in the downstream areas in case the dam bursts and releases the vast quantity of accumulated water.
“And also people living in low lying areas (both the right and left bank of Siang River) viz Jarku, Paglek, SS Mission, Jarkong, Banskota, Berung, Jampani, Sigar, Ralling, Borguli, Seram, Kongkul, Namsing, Mer, Gadum, etc to remain alert but without panic for any eventuality that may happen due to above reasons,” it said in a statement.
According to an Associated Press report from Beijing, around 6,000 people have been evacuated in Tibet around the area where the lake has formed. China is said to have informed India of the development.
The landslide struck near a village in Menling County and the water in the artificial lake had risen to 131 feet by Thursday, according to Chinese authorities, the AP report said.
