Flash floods that breached Chungthang dam triggered by a cloudburst at Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim and parts of north Bengal prompted a concerned chief minister, Mamata Banerjee to ask state administration to be battle ready to launch rescue and relief operation on a war footing.

“Deeply concerned on getting the news of 23 soldiers missing after a flash flood in Sikkim which followed a cloudburst in the region. While expressing solidarity and promise of assistance from our government side if sought on this matter, I also urge all concerned in North Bengal to maintain maximal vigil in the current season to prevent disasters,” Miss Baner- jee posted on X.

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She added: “Have already asked my Chief Secretary to coordinate disaster management preparedness measures asap. All steps have been taken to evacuate people in the districts of Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri to safer places. Senior ministers of the state and senior IAS offi- cers have been rushed to North Bengal to oversee rescue and relief operations. Close vigil is being kept to ensure no loss of life in this grave calamity,” she added further.

Miss Banerjee, who is still nursing a leg injury, took part in the meeting at Nabanna remotely over the phone today. She directed the state chief secretary, HK Dwivedi to keep an eye on the developments unfolding in the state, particularly in north Bengal following the cloudburst.

Reports said that the flash floods caused by a cloud- burst washed away a number of habitats, rows of trees, inu- ndated vast areas of four downstream districts in north Bengal, including Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Jalapaiguri and Cooch Behar.
Several Army camps too bore the brunt of the flood fury, which inundated large areas of national highway and left 23 Army Jawans missing. Ab- out 10,000 people have been evacuated so far.

Three bodies have been fished out from Teesta barrage at Gajoldoba.
About 2,000 tourists have been left stranded in Sikkim due to the flash floods.
Miss Banerjee said that the chief secretary and other departmental secretaries and officers of all the concerned departments like irrigation and waterways, PWD, police and above all the civil defence staff of disaster management have been put on alert.
Sources at Nabanna claimed that four teams of NDRF had been deployed for the rescue operations that were underway.

Chief secretary, HK Dwivedi said a family of three, which had been stranded at Rang- po, was rescued. Sources said that around 6,475 persons were rescued and 6,572 persons were evacuated. A round-the-clock control room was opened at Nabanna for the public for any information regarding the disaster. Leaves of officers of all concerned departments had been cancelled.