Shillong, October 5: A cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim has led to tragic consequences, with at least 14 casualties and 102 individuals missing, including 22 army personnel.
As per India Today, the flash floods resulting from this natural disaster have severely affected the Teesta River basin. Additionally, over 20,000 people have been impacted by the calamity.
In the wake of this disaster, efforts to locate the missing individuals, including 23 army men, were underway. Thankfully, one of the missing army personnel was successfully rescued.
Approximately 3,000 tourists from various parts of the country found themselves stranded in different areas of Sikkim due to the flood situation. Sikkim Chief Secretary VB Pathak reported on the dire circumstances.
The Sikkim government officially declared the natural calamity as a disaster, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang to assess the state’s condition and pledged unwavering support. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed prayers for the well-being of the missing army personnel.
Multiple teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed for rescue and relief operations. The affected areas include Chungthang in Mangan district, Dikchu, Singtam in Gangtok district, and Rangpo in Pakyong district. So far, 166 individuals have been rescued, including an army man.