Arunachal: NEEPCO rules out project role in Keyi Panyor flash flood

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: State-run North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) has stated that the devastating flash flood that struck its Panyor Lower Hydro Electric Project colony in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district last week was triggered by an intense localised cloudburst and had no connection with the operation of the project’s reservoir or powerhouse.

In a statement, the corporation said the flash flood occurred at around 6:30 am on June 24 after exceptionally heavy rainfall lashed a small catchment near the project from about 3 am. The sudden surge caused two nearby streams to overflow, sweeping away 24 residential quarters and damaging several other structures in the colony.

NEEPCO said one woman died in the incident, while four others were initially reported missing. Search, rescue and relief operations were launched immediately with the involvement of the district administration, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indian Air Force, the Arunachal Pradesh Government and NEEPCO. The injured were also airlifted for treatment.

Rejecting speculation linking the disaster to the hydropower project, the corporation said its early warning system, which monitors rainfall and reservoir inflows, did not register any abnormal rainfall in the upstream catchment or unusual inflow into the reservoir before the incident.

Based on its preliminary findings, NEEPCO said the flood resulted from highly localised rainfall that caused nearby streams to swell rapidly and was not caused by any sudden release of water or increased river discharge from the project.

It also stated that there was no downstream impact arising from the operation of the reservoir or powerhouse.

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