Gangtok/Kolkata: At least 29 people including 23 Army personnel were missing following flash floods in Sikkim, the defence ministry and state government officials said on Wednesday
“Due to a sudden cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim, a flash flood occurred in the Teesta River in Lachen Valley….. 23 personnel have been reported missing and 41 vehicles are reported submerged under the slush. Search operations are underway,” a Defence Ministry spokesperson said in Kolkata.
The spokesperson said some army establishments along the valley have been affected and efforts are on to confirm details.
“Release of water from the Chungthang dam led to a sudden increase in water level up to 15-20 feet high downstream. This has led to Army vehicles parked at Bardang near Singtam getting affected,” the spokesperson added.
The Sikkim government said the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in portions of Lhonak Lake of North Sikkim’s Mangan district led to the rise of water levels with very high velocities downstream along the Teesta River Basin in the early hours of Wednesday. This has caused severe damage in Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi districts.
At least six people, including two GREF labourers have been missing, the report said. Scores of people were wounded and many people were rescued from the flood-affected areas.
“The lake outburst in portions of Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim, about 107 kms from here in the north, caused a rise in water levels with very high velocities – near about 15m/sec – crossed the CWC Melli site measuring 227 m, near about 3m above Danger Level, at 6 AM,” said the communiqué.
According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the flood occurred at midnight on October 3. The river Teesta is flowing below the warning level at CWC Domohani station. The water level at 6 AM was 84.83m.
Similarly, around 1 AM on October 4, major flooding of the Teesta River was reported from Chunthang. Likewise, by 2-30 PM, the flood had reached the low-lying areas of the remaining districts, causing serious destruction to public properties and public infrastructure.
The communication network under Mangan district surrounding Chungthang and its periphery has been affected.
“District administrations sprung into action and immediately initiated the evacuation of the people from the low-lying areas,” it said.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team from the State Home Guard and Civil Defence, Gangtok, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Pakyong has already been deployed in the affected areas.
Giving details of the dam, the state government said in Mangan district, Chungthang was cut off due to the collapse of the Toong Bridge, while the Phidang Bridge has also given way. “Four pucca houses at Phidang and two in Dikchu were washed away,” it said.
Houses along the river line were in danger, and two GREF labourers were reported missing at Sangkhalang. One person was missing from Phidang.
The GREF Crusher Plant and Old Police Barrack have been washed away at Toong, and four people have been reported missing.
Forest Guest House and two units of government quarters at Sangkalang have also been swept away.
In Gangtok: four people, who were injured, have been taken to Singtam Hospital. 25 people have been rescued by SDRF, and more rescue is underway.
“In Namchi district of South Sikkim, two bridges were washed away. A relief camp was set up at Namphing Sai Mandir. As of now, 500 people have been kept in the relief camps, and permanent relief has been set up at Pranami Mandir,” the communique added.
