Sikkim flash flood: Toll rises to 41, search on for 103, including 15 Armymen

While 19 dead bodies were recovered in Sikkim (according to Chief Minister PS Tamang Golay), the officials said 22 were found in north Bengal districts downstream, adding that 26 people are hospitalised and nearly 1,500 are in relief camps.

The search for the 15 missing Army soldiers continues downstream of the Teesta barrage after the bodies of seven of their colleagues were found. At the site of the incident at Burdang near Singtam, Army vehicles and stores are being dug out. Additional teams of the Tiranga Mountain Rescue (TMR), a non-profit organisation affiliated with the Army, sniffer dogs, and special radars have been pressed into service to assist in the search operations.

Also, the police, Army, and the administration have issued statements asking people not to touch or go near military hardware such as firearms or explosives that were washed away downstream. This comes after two persons died and six were injured after they touched a mortar floating in the Teesta in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district. The authorities advised people to inform the nearest police station if they spot firearms or ammunition.

The Centre has approved to release Rs 44.80 crore in advance as its share from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim. Also, an inter-ministerial central team has been constituted to take stock of damages caused in the state.

Besides, a survey is being carried out by the agencies to assess the damage and make plans to restore road connectivity. The road link between Singtam and Burdang has been restored with the clearing of a single lane for vehicular traffic.

The Army has requested the stranded tourists not to panic and provided them tea and food in Mangan as they waited to make phone calls back home. A list of the tourists stranded in Lachen and Lachung has been compiled.

The Darjeeling traffic police have advised that anyone travelling from Siliguri to Gangtok should opt for alternative Siliguri-Sevok-Damdim-Gorubathan-Lava-Algarah-Pedong route. “It may take 7-9 hours. There are rumours of exorbitant fares being charged. We advise people to travel only if necessary,” said an official of the Darjeeling traffic police.

Moreover, in view of the disaster, the Sikkim Services (Combined Recruitment) Mains Exam, which was scheduled to be held on October 14 and 15, has also been postponed till further notice.

CM blames previous govt for poor dam construction Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang Golay on Friday visited the disaster-hit areas and accused the previous government of building sub-standard dams. “There was a cloudburst and the Lhonak Lake burst… the dam broke and more floods hit lower reaches of Sikkim because of inferior and sub-standard construction by the previous government,” the CM told media-persons.

Areas evacuated as another lake faces threat of burst

Another glacial lake, Shako Cho Lake, in Mangan district of north Sikkim faces the threat of bursting and a fresh alert has been issued in this regard, it is learnt.

This has prompted the authorities to start evacuating residents from the river belt, sources said. The Golitar area in Gangtok district’s Singtam, Dikchu area in Mangan district, and Rangpo IBM area in Pakyong district have been evacuated by the authorities.

The 1.3-km-long lake is located 12 km from the nearest village of Thangu. The administration issued the advisory for evacuation after satellite data showed an abnormal increase in glacial temperature over the lake.