Flash flood in Teesta River due to glacial outburst causes severe damage in Sikkim; Several people missing including 23 Army personnel
Oct 04, 2023In Sikkim, Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in parts of Lhonak Lake, Mangan District resulted in the rise of water levels along the Teesta River Basin in the early hours today causing a flash flood. State Disaster Management Authrity (SSDMA) has informed this. In Pakyong district, 23 army personnel have been missing and one person has been rescued at Bardang, where some vehicles are submerged under slush. All emergency services are deployed for evacuation of people to safer areas.
Severe damages have been reported in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi Districts. Many bridges have collapsed and houses washed away.
Communication network in Mangan district surrounding Chungthang has been affected. It remains cut off due to the Toong bridge collapse. Houses have been washed away in Phidang and Dikchu. Two GREF labourers are reported missing at Sangkhalang.
A GREF crusher plant and Old Police Barrack have been washed away at Toong and four people have been reported missing.
In Gangtok district, 25 people have been rescued by SDRF.
The incident response team from Gangtok district headed by district collector Tushar Nikhare today visited all low lying areas in the district. The district administration has informed that five bodies have been recovered from Golitar, Singtam while three people have been rescued at Golitar so far.
In Namchi district, LD Kazi bridge and Indreni bridge have been washed away. Around 500 people are sheltered in relief camps, and a permanent relief camp has been set up at Pranami Mandir.
Baluatar Bridge and a bridge near Lanco Hydel power project, have also collapsed.
Gangtok territorial team, health team, Police team and Civil Defence are on high alert and ready for relief situations. SDRF has been carrying out search and rescue operations since early morning.
Sikkim's connectivity with West Bengal via Siliguri is blocked at least four places on National Highway 10.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, visited the affected areas in Singtam this morning and took stock of the situation. He met the people of Singtam Bazar and Golitar areas and assured that the Government is making all necessary arrangements for evacuation and safe rehabilitation. He convened an emergency meeting at the Community Centre, Singtam.
All government and private schools in Pakyong, Gangtok, Namchi and Mangan districts shall remain closed till 8th October, 2023.
Separately, IMD has issued red alert for Sikkim for the next 48 hours.
National Disaster Response Force NDRF has said that its teams are deployed at Sikkim in view of heavy rain, cloudburst and flood. It said, one team has been deployed in Gangtok and two teams are in the adjoining areas of Sikkim in West Bengal. The teams have rescued seven civilians till now.
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