Flash Flood in Sikkim Claims Lives and Displaces Dozens

A tragic cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in northern Sikkim has unleashed a devastating flash flood in the Teesta River basin, resulting in the loss of ten lives and leaving 80 individuals, including 22 army personnel, unaccounted for. The catastrophe, compounded by the release of water from the Chungthang dam, has dealt a severe blow to the region’s infrastructure, with 14 bridges, including nine belonging to the Border Roads Organization (BRO) and five state government-owned bridges, collapsing. Towns like Chungthang, Dikchu, Singtam, and Rangpo have been inundated, and several workers from the Teesta Stage III dam in Chungthang found themselves stranded in the dam’s tunnels. A concerted rescue effort is currently underway, with 166 individuals rescued thus far, but the situation remains challenging, particularly due to disrupted mobile communication in the affected areas.

In response to this grave crisis, relief efforts have been initiated, with numerous relief camps set up to provide shelter and assistance to the displaced population. Additionally, the state government, in collaboration with the Army and NHIDCL, is working on the construction of Bailey bridges to reestablish essential services. The impact of the flash flood extended beyond Sikkim, affecting North Bengal as well, where water from the swollen Teesta River inundated parts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri districts. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reported the successful rescue of 10,000 individuals who have been accommodated in 190 relief camps across nine districts, emphasizing the scale of the disaster and the need for a coordinated response to provide relief to those affected.