The flood, which commenced around 1:30 am, was exacerbated by the release of water from the Chungthang dam, according to officials.
A cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim on Wednesday led to a flash flood in the Teesta River basin, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 14 lives. Among those affected, 80 individuals, including 22 army personnel, are currently missing.
The deceased, all identified as civilians, include three individuals whose bodies were discovered in north Bengal. Additionally, one of the 23 missing army personnel was successfully rescued later in the day.
The flood, which commenced around 1:30 am, was exacerbated by the release of water from the Chungthang dam, according to officials. Sikkim Chief Secretary V B Pathak reported that over 3,000 tourists from various parts of the country are stranded in different areas of Sikkim.
Read More: 23 Army personnel missing in flash flood triggered by cloudburst in Sikkim
Satellite Images Show Devastation in
Nearly 65% of Sikkim’s Lhonak Lake – around 105 hectares – has been drained after a cloudburst forced the water body to overflow and trigger flash floods in the Teesta River.
Temporal satellite images (referring to before-and-after) released Wednesday evening by space agency ISRO show dramatic changes in the volume of water in the lake; photos taken on September 17 and September 28 show the bullet-shaped lake holding 162.7 and 167.4 hectares, respectively.
An image taken at 6am on Wednesday morning – after the cloudburst and flash flood wreaked havoc in the state. “Temporal changes in the lake area – as on September 17, September 28, and October 4. It is observed the lake is burst and about 105 hectares has been drained out, which might have created a flash flood downstream… will continue monitoring the lake using the satellite data,” ISRO said.
Read More: Lalu Yadav, Wife Rabri Devi, Son Tejashwi And Daughter Misa Bharti Get Bail In Land-For-Jobs Scam
Tata Steel Workers Trapped Inside Tunnels of Dam
Furthermore, numerous workers employed at the Teesta Stage III dam in Chungthang find themselves trapped within the tunnels of the dam, Pathak noted.
14 Bridges Have Collapsed
The Sikkim Chief Secretary said that the road infrastructure has suffered extensive damage due to flooding as 14 bridges have collapsed with nine ofthem being under Border Roads Organization (BRO) and five others belonging to the state government.
Scores of people missing and injured have been reported from Chungthang in Mangan district, and Dikchu, Singtam in Gangtok district and Rangpo in Pakyong district, Pathak said. Another official said some 166 people have so far been rescued, including the army man.
“The health condition of the rescued soldier is stable,” Defence Spokesperson Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said.
Bodies, including that of a child, were fished out from the flood plains of the Teesta river at Golitar in Singtam by rescue personnel, the officials said.
PM Speaks to CM Prem Singh Tamang
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Wednesday to take stock of the situation in the state and assured him of all possible support.
“Spoke to Sikkim CM Shri @PSTamangGolay and took stock of the situation in the wake of the unfortunate natural calamity in parts of the state. Assured all possible support in addressing the challenge. I pray for the safety and well-being of all those affected,” Modi said on X.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also prayed for the well-being of the missing army personnel.
Read More: Vande Bharat: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Releases Images of Sleeper Coaches
Sikkim Govt Declares Calamity a Disaster
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, the defence spokesperson said.
“Twenty-two army personnel have been reported missing and 41 vehicles submerged under the slush,” he said.
Trishakti Corps Launch Massive Search Ops for Missing Army Jawans
Troops of Trishakti Corps launched a massive search operation to trace the 23 missing soldiers amid heavy rain and rescued one of them in the evening.
“All other Indian Army personnel posted in Sikkim and North Bengal are safe but they are unable to contact their family members due to disruptions of mobile communication,” a defence official said.
Steel Bridge in Singtam Completely Washed Away
“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 Wednesday,” another Sikkim government official said.
Rajeev Bhattacharya, 25, a tourist from Kolkata who was on a trek from Gangtok towards Singtam, told newsagency PTI over phone: “We saw a huge wave of water rushing at great speed through the valley and mangled remains of structures being swept away. Luckily, my friends and I were on high ground and not affected by the flash flood. We are now making our way back to Gangtok.” 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.
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.
