Flash Flood Tragedy: Death Toll in Sikkim Now at 21, and There Are 15 Missing Army Personnel Being Sought After

As rescue efforts in the Teesta river basin and downstream north Bengal went on for a third day, the death toll from the Sikkim flash flood reached 21 on Friday. Teams from the Army and the NDRF searched through treacherous terrain and swiftly moving waters for the missing. Seven of the 23 army personnel who went missing in the Burdang area have been found dead, one has been found alive, leaving 15 people still unaccounted for, according to Chief Minister P S Tamang.

A cloudburst over Lhonak Lake caused the disaster, which left 103 people—including 15 jawans—missing. Over 22,000 people were affected, according to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, and 2,411 people had to be evacuated.

The situation is urgent because a glacial lake burst in Sikkim’s upper reaches caused flash floods and a subsequent glacial lake outburst. The Chungthang Dam’s water was released as a result of this incident, significantly raising the Teesta River’s water level on Wednesday morning. The consequences of this natural disaster have left the Himalayan state in a state of widespread destruction.

Prem Singh Tamang, the chief minister of Sikkim, blamed the previous administration’s “inferior construction” for the Chungthang Dam’s destruction, highlighting in particular the Sikkim Democratic Front’s 24-year period of subpar operation. According to NDTV, the dam collapse caused flash floods that claimed 19 lives and caused significant damage throughout the state.

Efforts to provide aid have been hampered by the loss of roads and bridges, including 13 over the Teesta. The Chief Minister noted cooperation with the central government for airlifting teams while placing a priority on the rescue of 3,000 stranded tourists. A group of technical experts will be involved in the rebuilding plans, but the Chief Minister emphasized the magnitude of the catastrophe. Support was pledged by the prime minister in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

80 percent of Chungthang town was severely impacted, making it the most severely affected. The NH-10, a vital lifeline for the state, was severely damaged in several places. Six civilians were killed in Gangtok, and four each were killed in Mangan and Pakyong. According to PTI, the hunt for the 15 army personnel who have vanished has continued close to the Teesta barrage.

As part of search operations in Burdang, where the incident took place, tracker dogs and specialized radars were used to find stores and recover army vehicles. 1,471 stranded tourists were located and located by the army in Lachen, Laching, and Chungthang. There is a chance that stranded tourists will be evacuated by helicopter on Friday due to the improved weather.

Plans for restoring road connectivity are being developed, and survey efforts are being made to evaluate the damage. The vehicular traffic on the road link between Singtam and Burdang has been partially restored.

Alarms are raised in Jalpaiguri after a mortar shell explosion in the Teesta River, which is in unprecedented danger.
In the West Bengali district of Jalpaiguri, where a mortar shell believed to be of military origin exploded on Thursday, at least two people died and four others were hurt. The incident took place in Chapadanga village as the explosive device was carried downstream by floodwaters from the Teesta River after Sikkim experienced flash floods and a cloudburst.

According to local reports, the tragedy happened when someone tried to disassemble the mortar shell with the intention of selling it as scrap metal. Two injured people are in critical condition and have been admitted to the hospital, prompting worries that the number of fatalities may increase.

In response, the Jalpaiguri Police issued a public advisory advising locals not to handle any explosives or firearms discovered in the river. The warning highlighted potential risks associated with military hardware, focusing on the possibility of hazardous explosions.

The Sikkim government issued a similar warning, advising citizens not to enter the Teesta River basin. The state’s Land Revenue & Disaster Management Department issued an advisory that emphasized the potential for explosives and ammunition to be buried beneath the murky waters and urged extreme caution to avoid accidental explosions.

In order to prevent further tragedies, local and state authorities have urged the public to report any suspicious objects or materials they find in the river basin right away.