<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://s.w-x.co/util/image/w/in-flash.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273" srcset="https://s.w-x.co/util/image/w/in-flash.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273 400w, https://s.w-x.co/util/image/w/in-flash.jpg?v=ap&w=980&h=551 800w" > Representational image (TOI, BCCL)

As the monsoon intensifies over the northeastern states, extremely heavy rains have lashed Arunachal Pradesh. The West Kameng region is witnessing repeated flash floods and landslides that have cut off many parts of the district. The local media reports suggest that the New Kaspi Nala near Nag Mandir is the worst-affected area. More than 800 people were reportedly stranded as the bridge connecting these areas were washed away.

The torrential downpour in the region is said to be because of a cloudburst on Sunday evening. A rainfall episode is classified as a cloudburst by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) when the rainfall crosses 100 mm in one hour over a small area.

The Weather Channel Met team has forecast heavy to very heavy rain across northeastern India this week, as warm and moist southerly winds from the Bay of Bengal are likely to affect the region. The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy falls at isolated places in Arunachal Pradesh for Wednesday. From Thursday onward, the rainfall intensity is likely to subside. However, the heavy rains may continue in some regions of the state.

The continued rainfall has worsened the situation. The Times of India reported that due to landslides and flash floods, the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) road is closed for traffic on Wednesday. The closure of the road has snapped the connectivity between the Army's 4th Corps headquarters at Tezpur in Assam and the forward areas near Arunachal Pradesh's northern boundary with China. Tawang Police have asked commuters to avoid this route for going to Bomdila and Tawang and use the OKSRT (Orang-Kalaktang-Shergaon-Rupa-Tenga) road to reach Tawang from Assam.

On Monday and Tuesday, Arunachal Pradesh received over 90 mm rainfall. Despite the heavy rainfall this week, Arunachal Pradesh has been experiencing a deficit rainfall this monsoon so far. As of July 9, the state has received 465 mm of rainfall—28% less than the normal for this time of the year. Arunachal Pradesh had seen a 32% deficit rainfall during the 2018 monsoon season, despite a few flash flooding episodes. The consecutive deficit monsoon seasons since the past ten years have raised water scarcity concerns in the state.