Sikkim Floods: 16 Houses Damaged As Flash Flood Wreaks Havoc

The Border Roads Organisation’s (BRO) Project Swastik carried out damage mitigation in coordination with the state administration in Chungthang and other areas in North Sikkim.

At least 16 houses were damaged after the cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim triggered a flash flood in the Teesta river basin, according to ANI. Four important bridges were also damaged. However, over 200 people were moved to safety. The Border Roads Organisation’s (BRO) Project Swastik carried out damage mitigation in coordination with the state administration in Chungthang and Mangan area in North Sikkim that were severely affected. 14 people have died so far and 102 others, including 22 army personnel, were missing. Search and rescue operation is underway following the flash flood that occurred in the early hours of Wednesday.

So far, 2,011 people have been rescued, while the calamity that happened on Wednesday affected 22,034 people, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said in its latest bulletin.

The state government has set up 26 relief camps in the four affected districts, it said. A total of 1,025 people are taking shelter in the eight relief camps in Gangtok district, while the number of inmates at the 18 other relief camps was not available immediately.

Around 14 workers working in the Teesta Stage 3 dam in Chungthang are still stranded in the tunnels of the dam, according to ANI. Injuries and persons missing have been reported from Chungthang in Mangan district, and Dikchu, Singtam in Gangtok district and Rangpo in Pakyong district.

Chungthang town bore the maximum brunt of the flood with 80 per cent of it getting severely affected. The NH-10, considered the lifeline of the state, sustained extensive damage at several places.

Even the police station in Chungthang has been destroyed. Chungthang and most of North Sikkim have disrupted mobile network connection as the fibre cable lines were also being destroyed by the flash floods in Sangkalan and Toong in Mangan district, according to the official report.

As per the information shared by the Sikkim Chief Secretary VB Pathak, he informed, "The Lhonak lake received a cloud burst around 10:42 pm on Tuesday night. Thereafter the lake breached its embankment and made its course towards Teesta river. Soon different parts of the Teesta basin reported a rise in water, with particularly alarming levels in Chungthang where the Teesta Stage 3 dam was breached."