Race against time to save 102 missing in Sikkim floods

Indian authorities are racing against time to rescue people after flash floods in the northeastern state of Sikkim left 102 missing, including 22 army personnel, BBC reports.

The state government said 14 people also died after a cloudburst over a lake triggered massive floods. Officials added that over 3,000 tourists were stranded in different parts of the state. Hundreds of search and rescue officers have been deployed across the state.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he spoke to the state’s Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Wednesday and assured him of all possible support.

The state's Lhonak lake breached its embankment on Tuesday night after a cloudburst. It led to an alarming rise in water in the Teesta River in Lachen Valley.

The flood worsened after water was released from a nearby dam into the river. A defence spokesperson said there was a sudden increase in water levels up to 15-20 ft high downstream.

Nearly 14 people got trapped in the tunnels of the dam, a state official said.

The Indian army has launched a massive search operation to find and rescue those missing. Officials said one soldier had been rescued on Wednesday night and was in a stable condition.

Rescue personnel also fished out bodies, including that of a child, from the flood plains of the Teesta River in Singtam, officials told PTI.

"The search operations are being undertaken under conditions of incessant rains, fast-flowing water in the Teesta River with the roads and bridges washed away at many places," the army said in its statement.

Sikkim chief secretary VB Pathak said the floods had caused massive damage to infrastructure, including roads and bridges.

Mobile network in the northern parts of the state has also been disrupted.

The army has released three helplines for families of the missing people in the state, including its own soldiers.

"Family members of the missing persons have been contacted and informed about the situation," it said.

Northern parts of the neighbouring West Bengal state have also been affected as water from Teesta inundated Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri disricts.

The state rescued 10,000 people and moved them to 190 relief camps on Wednesday, state chief minister Mamata Banerjee said.

Sikkim, a Himalayan state, is prone to floods and natural disasters. Last year, severe flooding in the state displaced tens of thousands and killed at least 24 people.

/KN/