The Indian Air Force (IAF) today rescued 19 people stranded in an island amid the swelling Siang River in East Siang district of partially flood-hit Arunachal Pradesh, an official said. The rescue operation by the IAF followed a request by the East Siang district administration to evacuate the people stranded at Jampani under Sille-Oyan circle of the district yesterday, East Siang DC Tamiyo Tatak said.

The people - cattle herders from Assam - were stranded for the past 24 hours after the water level of the Siang River rose making it impossible for boats to ferry them, he said. The district administration has already issued a red alert advising the people to refrain from venturing into the Siang river for fishing, bathing, and other purposes, as the river is in spate with unusually high tides.