Sikkim flash floods: 14 dead, 22 armymen among 102 missing
Flash floods in Sikkim have claimed 14 civilian lives so far, while 102 people are missing, including 22 Army personnel. The Teesta River in spate has reportedly caused 14 bridges to collapse and stranded over 3,000 tourists in the state. The Sikkim government has declared the event a disaster under the Disaster Management Act. The flash floods were triggered on Wednesday by a glacial lake outburst due to incessant rains, which breached the Chungthang dam, Sikkim's largest hydropower project.
Rescue operations underway amid challenging conditions
The Indian Army's Trishakti Corps initiated a massive search-and-rescue mission to find the missing soldiers and succeeded in rescuing one of the missing personnel despite intermittent rainfall and treacherous waters. The rescued soldier is in stable condition, while the search for the other 22 personnel is underway. The families of the missing soldiers have been informed about the situation. However, mobile networks and broadband connections in most of north Sikkim have been disrupted due to damaged fiber cable lines.
14 workers stranded in tunnels after Chungthang dam breach
Out of the 14 bridges that have collapsed, nine fall under the Border Roads Organization (BRO) and five under the state government. As many as 14 workers who were working on the Teesta Stage 3 dam in Chungthang are stranded in the tunnels, while floods have destroyed the police station in Chungthang. Over 25 injured people were taken to the hospital in Mangan, Gangtok, and Pakyong districts.
Sikkim sought 3 additional NDRF platoons
Meanwhile, the Centre has approved the state government's request for three additional platoons of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to aid in relief efforts. One NDRF platoon is already carrying out relief and rescue operations in Rangpo and Singtam towns. One of the three requested NDRF platoons will be airlifted to Chungthang for rescue missions, while food and civil supplies will be transported there once weather conditions allow air connectivity.
Army, NHIDCL to build Bailey bridges for essential supplies
In a collaborative effort, the Army and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) plan to construct Bailey bridges—portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridges—to import essential supplies from Siliguri. Notably, Sikkim has been cut off from West Bengal as well as the rest of India. Additionally, the state government has established 18 relief camps in areas that have suffered the most damage from the flash floods, such as Singtam, Rangpo, Dikchu, and Adarsh Gaon.
