Guwahati: Five Army personnel remained missing even on Monday, 72 hours after a cloudburst unleashed flash floods in Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang Valley, sweeping away their shelters on Friday evening, as more than 150 rescuers from various agencies battled the treacherous terrain to locate them. Search and rescue operations are being coordinated by Army, ITBP, civil administration, police and other agencies.Seven personnel were swept away in the incident, but two were rescued shortly afterwards on the same day.The valley, with narrow stretches, close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has made the search operation particularly challenging, officials said.“The terrain is extremely challenging. The Army is conducting extensive helicopter operations, while other rescue agencies are using river rafts to search the area. However, there is still no trace of the five missing soldiers,” an official of the district administration told TOI on Monday evening.Officials overseeing the rescue operation said on Monday that all possibilities were being considered, including the likelihood that the soldiers were buried under the debris or swept away by Mathu River. The shelters, located along the river amid the most difficult terrain, can only be reached after a three- to four-hour trek from the last motorable point near Chitapani, an official said.Sources said the operation is being conducted with a degree of confidentiality given the area’s proximity to the LAC. Authorities have also refrained from disclosing the identities of the Army personnel who remain missing. Dibang Valley district administration has also barred the entry of all unauthorised persons into the affected areas of Chitapani and Pashupani under Mipi Circle since Sunday. “No person, except personnel authorised by the District Administration, SDRF/NDRF/DDMA, Army, ITBP, Police, BRO, medical/rescue agencies or other authorised emergency services, shall enter or remain within the notified/affected area,” read the prohibitory order.The order further prohibits the movement of civilians, tourists, visitors and other unauthorised persons towards the affected areas until further orders.
