By – Prakarsh Kastwar
In addition to several people going missing in the flash flood, at least six bridges between Chungthang and Rangpo have also been destroyed.
In North Sikkim late on Tuesday night, flash floods brought on by a glacier lake outburst left at least 30 people missing, according to reports from Kolkata.
The eruption, according to a senior member of the Central Water Commission (CWC), occurred in north Sikkim’s Lhonak lake.
“It is still unknown how many people have actually vanished. We are compiling information. According to verifiable reports, seven persons have gone missing as of right now, according to Prabhakar Rai, director of the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority.
The army announced in a statement that at least 23 army members were also missing.
“Some military facilities in the Lachen valley have been impacted. In addition to some vehicles being reported immersed in the slush, at least 23 personnel have been reported missing. The impacted vehicles were parked in Bardang close to Singtam, according to the statement.
According to officials, the impacted Sikkim districts are Mangan (north Sikkim), Pakyong, and Gangtok (east Sikkim). Mangan suffered the most. Additionally, officials stated that the River Teesta’s water level was predicted to reach the danger threshold soon. Some areas in Bangladesh’s north Bengal received a flood alert.
“On Tuesday night, about ten o’clock, we learned that the water level at Lachen was increasing quickly. There was an army facility nearby,” claimed Rai.
According to the regional office of the India Meteorological Department in Gangtok, a cloud burst did not cause the flash floods. When at least 100 mm of rain fall in a short area within an hour, a cloud burst occurs.
“North Sikkim received 39 mm of rain at its highest total during the previous 24 hours. So, we cannot claim that it was a cloud burst, stated a representative of IMD.
In addition to multiple people going missing during the flash flood, at least six bridges between Chungthang and Rangpo have also been destroyed. According to an official, National High 10, which is regarded as Sikkim’s lifeline and in many parts runs parallel to the Teesta River, was also severely damaged.
“The roads in North Sikkim have been severely damaged and cut off. Many areas are now unavailable, according to the official.
A lot of rain in neighboring West Bengal
In between, West Bengal had torrential rain as a result of a low pressure system over Jharkhand and its associated cyclonic circulation. In the eastern state, the IMD has predicted increased rains through Thursday.
A state government official reported that “at least seven districts, including Birbhum, Bankura, West Burdwan, East Burdwan, West Midnapore, Hooghly, and Howrah, are experiencing flood-like conditions as a result of the heavy rain.”
“In the Bankura district, more than 1000 individuals have been relocated to safer locations. In the districts of Bankura and Purulia, at least 35 relief camps have been established. Relief supplies like tarpaulins, dried food, water, and medications have been kept on hand. A senior representative of the state’s disaster management and civil defense agency said, “We are keeping a careful eye on everything.