The Sikkim Government confirmed that 14 people have died so far, while 102 people are still missing in the flash flood that occurred in Sikkim in the wee hours of Wednesday. All 14 deceased are civilians.
Injuries and persons missing have been reported from Chungthang in Mangan district, and Dikchu, Singtam in Gangtok district and Rangpo in Pakyong district.

Advertisement

In different parts of the State over 3,000 tourists are feared to be stranded as per the official report. 12-14 workers working in the Teesta Stage 3 dam in Chungthang are still stranded in the tunnels of the dam. Even the police station in Chungthang has been destroyed. Chungthang and most of North Sikkim have disrupted mobile network connection as the fibre cable lines were also being destroyed by the flash floods in Sangkalan and Toong in Mangan district, according to the official report.

As per the information shared by the Sikkim Chief Secretary VB Pathak, he informed, “The Lhonak lake received a cloud burst around 10:42 pm on Tuesday night. Thereafter the lake breached its embankment and made its course towards Teesta river. Soon different parts of the Teesta basin reported a rise in water, with particularly alarming levels in Chungthang where the Teesta Stage 3 dam was breached.”

“There are 12-14 workers still stranded in the tunnels of the dam. Collectively across the State, 26 people have been reportedly injured and rushed to the hospitals. While 23 Army personnel in Bardang are still missing. They had a convoy vehicle which was parked adjacent to the highway which got submerged in the sludge,” added Pathak.
The State government has asked for three (3) extra platoons of the National Disaster Response Force, which the Central government has approved. There is one platoon of NDRF already in service in Rangpo and Singtam towns.

Meanwhile, the State officials stressed ration shortages in the State. Essentials from Siliguri, Bailey bridges will be laid by the Indian Army and National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), informed the State Chief Secretary.

The State government has set up 18 relief camps in Singtam, Rangpo, Dikchu and Adarsh Gaon which have faced most of the damages. However, due to a lack of connectivity with Chungthang, the relief camps there are being set up by the Indian Army and other paramilitaries.

North West Sikkim, witnessed a cloud burst at South Lhonark lake, causing persistent monsoon rainfall on Wednesday morning. The flowing flash flood made its way through River Teesta sweeping Indreni Bridge in Singtam town, some 30 kilometres from Gangtok informed Gangtok District Administration. Another connecting bridge of Balutar hamlet was also swept away around 4 am.