14 dead, 102 missing in Sikkim flash flood

As many as 14 civilians have died and 102 people, including 22 Army personnel, are missing after a cloudburst over the Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim of India caused it to overflow, triggering flash floods in the Teesta river. A government official said 14 bridges have collapsed and over 3,000 tourists are feared stranded in different parts of the state. 

The cloudburst occurred in the early hours of Wednesday and the swirling waters swept away parts of a dam at Chungthang, which is the state's largest hydropower project, worsening the flooding downstream, reports NDTV. 

The Sikkim government has declared the calamity a disaster under the Disaster Management Act. 

Amid the doom and gloom, the Army gave a heartening update on Wednesday evening when it shared that one of the 23 soldiers that had gone missing from Bardang near Singtam town has been rescued and his condition is stable. 

Deaths, Destruction

A senior official in the Sikkim government confirmed that 10 people, all of them civilians, have died and 82 are still missing. 

"As many as 14 bridges - nine under the Border Roads Organisation and five under the State government - suffered extensive damage and collapsed. Over 3,000 tourists are feared stranded," said the official.

Around 14 workers working in Teesta Stage 3 dam in Chungthang, parts of which were swept away, are still stranded in the tunnels. 

Injuries and missing persons have been reported from Chungthang in Mangan district, Dikchu and Singtam in Gangtok district, and Rangpo in Pakyong district. Over 25 people have been rushed to various hospitals, the official added. 

Mobile networks and broadband connections have been disrupted in Chungthang and most of North Sikkim due to fibre cable lines being destroyed by the flash floods in Sangkalan and Toong in Mangan district. The police station in Chungthang has also been destroyed.

Soldier Rescued

"Troops of Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army launched a massive search-and-rescue operation to trace the 23 missing soldiers. The search operations are being undertaken under conditions of incessant rains and fast-flowing water in the Teesta River with the roads and bridges washed away at many places. By evening, one soldier had been rescued and the search operation for the other 22 personnel continues," an Army official said. 

The Army said family members of the missing persons have been contacted and informed about the situation and all other Indian Army personnel posted in Sikkim and North Bengal are safe and are unable to contact their family members due to disruptions in mobile communication.

Relief Efforts

The State government has made a request for three extra platoons of the National Disaster Response Force, which the central government has approved. One platoon of NDRF is already undertaking relief and rescue efforts in Rangpo and Singtam towns.

One of the three additional NDRF platoons will be airlifted to Chungthang for rescue operations. Food and civil supplies will also be taken to Chungthang once the weather improves for air connectivity, a state government official said. 

To import necessities from Siliguri, Bailey bridges will be laid by the Indian Army and the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, Sikkim Chief Secretary VB Pathak said. 

The State government has also set up 18 relief camps in Singtam, Rangpo, Dikchu and Adarsh Gaon, which are the areas that have seen the most destruction. 

'Remain Vigilant'

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said he had visited Singtam to take stock of the situation, and urged everyone in the state to remain vigilant.

"We are all aware of the recent natural calamity that has struck our state. Emergency services have been mobilized to the affected areas, and I personally visited Singtam to assess the damages and engage with the local community," Mr Tamang posted on X, formerly Twitter. 

"I humbly urge all our citizens to remain vigilant and refrain from unnecessary travel during this critical time. It is essential that we maintain composure and hope for a swift return to normalcy in our region," the chief minister added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said he had spoken to the chief minister and assured him of support.