West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh has been cut-off since Monday after a cloudburst led to heavy landslides and washed away the culvert, several houses and left two persons missing.

Bhalukpong legislator Kumshi Sidhishow said the road has been blocked and two persons have gone missing during the landslide on Monday afternoon.

West Kameng deputy commissioner sent a message last night to Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu informing him that a cloudburst at Kaspi near Nag Mandir had led to three buildings (including a hotel) being completely washed away and left six houses severely damaged. One reinforced concrete bridge connecting Bhalukpong-Chariduar to Tawang BCT road at Kaspi was also also washed away.

During the landslide 80 students and staff of local hostels were safely evacuated.

The deputy commissioner also mentioned that a 23-year-old woman, Kanchi Mosau, was missing while her husband was injured. More than 110 people from 11 houses have been evacuated from Kaspi village.

An arterial road has been blocked in several places and sub-divisional officials have been unable to navigate that stretch.

Another stretch, from Nag Mandir to Jamiri village has been damaged. The district administration has asked all residents in low-lying areas to move to higher ground.

The Bhalukpong-Chariduar to Tawang-BCT Road is regularly blocked by landslides. In 2017, there were heavy landslides in Bhalukpong, which damaged a circuit house. The Border Roads Organisation maintains the road, but the construction work has not improved the situation, a local resident said.

The deputy commissioner’s message also said hundreds of vehicles were stranded on a road between Bomdila and Rupa. Vehicles were unable to move from Tezpur to Bhalukpong via Chariduar to Tawang road because of the situation.