A cloudburst and heavy rainfall triggered landslides that blocked a major highway in the Potin area of Arunachal Pradesh on June 24, 2024 [1].
The disaster severed critical transport links in the Keyi Panyor district, isolating residents and complicating emergency response efforts in the region.
Landslides blocked the Potin-Ziro stretch of National Highway 13 [2]. Some reports identified the affected route as the Potin-Possa road [3]. The blockage occurred after intense rainfall and a cloudburst caused flash flooding across the area [2], [4].
Local authorities said one person died as a result of the disaster [1]. Search and rescue operations have been focused on locating missing individuals. Reports on the number of missing persons vary, with some sources saying four people are missing [1] and others saying five [4].
The Potin area remains largely cut off due to the debris covering the highway [1]. The combination of steep terrain and extreme weather made the region susceptible to the flash floods that preceded the landslides [2], [4].
Emergency crews and local residents have worked to clear the National Highway 13 corridor to restore access to Ziro [2]. The disruption of this primary artery has hindered the movement of supplies and personnel into the affected villages.
“One person died and up to five people are missing.”
This event highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh, where the intersection of cloudbursts and mountainous terrain frequently leads to the isolation of remote communities. The discrepancy in missing person counts underscores the difficulty of coordinating real-time data during the initial phases of a natural disaster in high-altitude regions.
