Sikkim Deluge: Search continues for missing soldiers, evacuation of stranded people underway

Gangtok (Sikkim) [India], October 6 (ANI): Days after a deluge caused by a glacial lake outburst gripped the region, search efforts for the 16 missing Army soldiers and evacuation of thousands of people stranded in various parts of the state are underway.

According to an official statement from the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Indian Army, the search operation for the missing soldiers continues with the focus now on the downstream areas of Teesta Barrage.

At the site of the incident at Burdang near Singtam, the army vehicles are being dug out and stores are being recovered, said the statement.

Additional resources in terms of teams of TMR (Tiranga Mountain Rescue), tracker dogs, and special radars have been brought in, to assist in the search operations.

The troops of the Indian Army are providing assistance in terms of food, and medical aid while extending communication facilities to civilians and tourists stranded in North Sikkim, it said.

Meanwhile, the troops of the TriShakti Corps Indian Army have been able to take account of 1,471 tourists present in the areas of Lachen/Chatten, Lachung and Chungthang.

A survey is being carried out by all agencies to assess the damage and plan restoration of road connectivity. The road link between Singtam and Burdang has been restored with the clearing of a single lane for vehicular traffic, said the statement.

Speaking about floods, District Collector of Mangan District Hem Kumar Chettri said, “We were able to establish contact with Chungthang last night. We came to know that the entire town was full of slush. So, they have engaged machinery to clear the town. So far, there is no report of anyone missing from Chungthang town. But the damage has been extensive. People have been shifted to the BOP area.”

“Today, we were supposed to take a helicopter to Lachung and come down to Chungthang. But because of the weather conditions, the helicopter may not come. So, we have decided to send a team on foot. One team will reach Chungthang today and will assess the actual situation. No casualties from Chungthang so far. There are reports of people missing from different areas but we have no report of anyone losing their life here. Property damage has been extensive,” he added.

Earlier today, the State Disaster Management Authority confirmed that at least 19 people including six army personnel have died in the flash floods of Sikkim.

As many as 3,000 people were also reported to have been stranded in Lachen and Lachung by Sikkim Chief Secretary Vijay Bhushan Pathak.

The State government has asked for three extra platoons of the National Disaster Response Force, which the Central government has approved. There is one platoon of NDRF already in service in Rangpo and Singtam towns.

The State government has set up 18 relief camps in Singtam, Rangpo, Dikchu and Adarsh Gaon which have faced most of the damages. However, due to a lack of connectivity with Chungthang, the relief camps there are being set up by the Indian Army and other paramilitaries.

South Lhonak Lake, situated in North West Sikkim, witnessed a cloud burst causing incessant monsoon rainfall on Wednesday morning.

The flowing flash flood made its way through River Teesta sweeping Indreni Bridge in Singtam town, some 30 kilometres from Gangtok.