Search operation for 22 missing army men ongoing in Sikkim
The north eastern state of Sikkim has been struggling with flash flood since Tuesday. The state received approximately 41 mm of rainfall on October 3 and continued on Wednesday. According to Indian Metrological Department, the amount of rainfall received by the state was five times more than the expected rainfall during this time of the year.
Southern Sikkim received 33 times more rainfall while eastern Sikkim recorded 15 times more rainfall on Wednesday. The metrological department has predicted more rainfall to be received by the state by October 6.
State Disaster Management authority has said that a lake outburst in Lhonak resulted in flooding Teesta river.
According to reports, 5 people died with 42 missing and 22 army personnel are still missing after flash flood. The authority has been continuing search operation for those missing.
Sikkim Flood
The Eastern Command of the Indian Army reported that some establishments along Lachen valley were affected by flooding, exacerbated by the release of water from the Chungthang dam.
The release of water from the Chungthang dam caused a sudden increase in the water level downstream, with heights reaching up to 15-20 feet. This had an adverse impact on Army vehicles parked at Bardang near Singtam, leading to 23 personnel being reported as missing, and some vehicles submerged under the slush. Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate the missing individuals.
As of the evening, one of the missing soldiers was rescued, and their condition was reported as stable. The search and rescue operation by the Indian Army to locate the remaining 22 missing soldiers is ongoing.
In addition to these efforts, the Troops of Trishakti Corps are providing medical aid and telephone connectivity to civilians and tourists who are stranded in the areas of Chungthang, Lachung, and Lachen in North Sikkim.
Efforts are being made to extract the vehicles submerged under the slush near Singtam. The focus of the search for the missing persons has shifted to areas downstream of the Teesta River. Out of the initial 23 missing persons, one was found alive on the evening of October 4th.
Family members of the missing persons have been contacted and informed about the situation. While all other Indian Army personnel posted in Sikkim and North Bengal are reported to be safe, they are currently facing difficulties in contacting their own family members due to disruptions in mobile communication.
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