Sikkim flash floods: 18 people dead, over 90 missing; rescue ops underway | Top updates

Sikkim flash floods: According to officials, 98 people, including 22 army personnel, are missing a day after the flash floods hit the northeastern state.

At least eighteen people, including four army personnel, have died in Sikkim after a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake triggered a flash flood in the Teesta river basin. According to officials, over 90 people are still missing on Thursday while the army and the NDRF are continuously carrying out rescue operations for the second straight day. (CHECK LIVE UPDATES)

A vehicle is seen partially submerged in water after flash floods triggered by a sudden heavy rainfall swamped the Rangpo town in Sikkim, India (PTI)

Here are the latest updates from Sikkim:

1. According to officials, 98 people, including 22 army personnel, are missing a day after the flash floods hit the northeastern state. While four bodies of army personnel were recovered, it is not yet clear if they were a part of the 22 missing soldiers. Meanwhile, 26 people have suffered injuries and are undergoing treatment at various hospitals across Sikkim.
2. As many as 2,011 people have been rescued so far. According to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), the calamity has affected 22,034 people, reported news agency PTI.
3. The flash floods in the Teesta River caused an accumulation of a huge quantity of water, which turned towards the Chungthang dam destroying the power infrastructure before moving downstream.
4. As per reports, around 10,000 people have been affected by the calamity in the Mangan district, 6,895 people were affected in Pakyong, 2,579 in Namchi, and 2,570 people in Gangtok.
5. The flood has destroyed 11 bridges in the state - out of which eight have been washed away. Meanwhile, water pipelines, sewage lines, and 277 houses - both kuchcha and concrete - have been destroyed in the four affected districts, reported PTI.
6. According to reports, over 3,000 tourists, including foreigners, are stuck in various parts of Sikkim. Officials said that the evacuation of the stranded tourists was a priority and it has been decided to airlift them up to Mangan, however, the bad weather conditions did not allow them to do so on Thursday. “If the weather holds good, the stranded tourists in Lachen and Lachung will be evacuated from tomorrow,” an official told PTI.
7. The Sikkim government has urged tourists to postpone travel plans till the situation normalises. “In view of the unprecedented situation created by flooding in Teesta river, all the tourists planning to visit Sikkim are advised to postpone their travel to a later date till the situation normalises,” the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department said in an advisory.
8. The ministry of power on Thursday said that the Centre will make a detailed assessment of damage to hydro power projects in Sikkim after the flood water recedes. It added that the state-owned hydro power giant NHPC is taking all possible measures to get the hydro power projects operational at the earliest.
9. Earlier in the day, Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang visited Singtam - one of the worst affected areas - to take stock of the situation. He also wrote to PM Modi and sought necessary support, especially for areas that needed immediate intervention, officials said.
10. According to a 2013 report by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), there was a 42 percent chance of Lhonak Lake bursting its banks, reported Reuters. The report said that the lake had grown in size, from 17.54 hectares (43.34 acres) in 1977 to 98.73 hectares (243.97 acres) in 2008.

(With inputs from agencies)