8 dead, 22 army men among 48 missing as flash flood wreaks havoc in Sikkim

Gangtok, October 4

At least eight people died and 48 others, including 22 army personnel, went missing on Wednesday after a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim triggered a flash flood in the Teesta River basin, officials said.

One missing jawan was found alive and his condition is stated to be “stable”.

Three of the dead were washed up in north Bengal, they said.

The flood that started around 1.30 am was made worse by the release of water from Chungthang dam, the officials said.

“Five bodies have been recovered from Golitar and Singtam region, while three persons were rescued from Golitar,” Gangtok Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mahendra Chettri said.

“A steel bridge at Singtam, known as Indreni bridge, 30 km from the state capital Gangtok has been completely washed away by Teesta river water early on Wednesday,” another official said.

The Sikkim government, in a notification, said the natural calamity has been declared as a disaster.

The release of water from the Chungthang dam led to a sudden increase in water levels up to 15-20 feet high downstream, defence spokesperson Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said.

“Twenty-three Army personnel have been reported missing and 41 vehicles submerged under the slush,” he said.

The spokesperson said the identity of the missing personnel is yet to be ascertained due to a breakdown in communication.

23 army personnel have been reported missing due to a flash flood that occurred in Teesta River in Lachen Valley after a sudden cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim: Defence PRO, Guwahati https://t.co/zDabUMrCaI pic.twitter.com/uWVO1nsT2T

— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023

Several towns, including Dikchu, Singtam and Rangpo located in the Teesta basin, have also been flooded with the upsurge in the river.

Meanwhile, all schools located in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi districts will remain closed till October 8, the education department said in a circular.

Parts of National Highway-10, the main link between Sikkim and the rest of the country, were washed away, the officials said, adding, a flood alert has been issued for North Bengal and Bangladesh through which the Teesta flows.

Two other bridges, Baluatar and another near the Lanco Hydel power project, have collapsed due to the spate in Teesta since Tuesday night, they said.

The administration has set up a number of relief camps, where hundreds are taking shelter, the officials said.

The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority stated that a “cloudburst in portions of Lhonak Lake, which caused the rise of water levels with very high velocities downstream along the Teesta River basin in the early hours of Wednesday” damaged many establishments in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi.

Chief Minister P S Tamang visited Singtam and took stock of the situation. He also held a meeting with senior officials at the Singtam Nagar Panchayat office and asked them to keep vigil.

In a post on social media, Tamang said his thoughts and prayers are with all during this difficult hour.

“In these challenging times, I want to extend my heartfelt support to all the victims and their families affected by this unfortunate event,” he said.

“I want to assure you that the government is fully committed to providing all necessary assistance and relief to those in need. We understand the magnitude of the situation and are mobilising all available resources to ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens. Our dedicated teams are working day and night to address the immediate concerns and challenges posed by this calamity,” Tamang said.

In West Bengal, torrential rain in the last few days, besides increase in the water level in the Teesta river, affected several places in Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts, where the administration has started evacuating affected people to safer locations, state government officials said. PTI

Chandigarh: The IMD had earlier reported a lake outburst at Chungthang in North Sikkim following which a flash flood alert has been issued leading to rise in the water levels of the Teesta river to an alarming level.

“Water levels is rising constantly,” said IMD Director-General Mrityunjaya Mohapatra, adding, “A Lake of North Sikkim busted a few hours ago causing concerned in the catchment of River Teesta. Low lying areas such as Gazoldoba, Domohani , Mekhaliganj, Ghish, Bangladesh area may be affected. Please be alert.”

(With PTI inputs)

Release of water from the Chungthang dam led to a sudden increase in water level upto 15-20 feet high downstream. This has led to Army vehicles parked at Bardang near Singtam getting affected: Defence PRO, Guwahati

— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023