Sikkim flash flood update: Ongoing search for missing Indian Army Personnel and aid for stranded civilians and tourists
The search for the missing Indian Army personnel is a relentless operation. Meanwhile, the Indian Army is extending a helping hand to stranded civilians and tourists in North Sikkim by providing food, medical assistance, and communication facilities.
According to the PRO, Defence, Guwahati, the search for the missing Indian Army soldiers is focused downstream in areas around the Teesta Barrage. At the site of the incident in Burdang near Singtam, efforts are underway to recover army vehicles and supplies. Additional resources, such as teams from Tiranga Mountain Rescue (TMR), tracking dogs, and specialized radar equipment, have been mobilized to assist in the search operations.
In parallel, troops from the TriShakti Corps of the Indian Army have successfully accounted for 1471 tourists stranded in Lachen/Chatten, Lachung, and Chungthang. With improving weather conditions on October 6th, there is an opportunity for evacuating these stranded tourists using helicopters. The operation is a joint effort involving the State Government, Indian Army, and Indian Air Force.
Various agencies are conducting assessments to determine the extent of damage caused by the cloudburst and formulate plans for restoring road connectivity. Encouragingly, the road link between Singtam and Burdang has been partially restored, with one lane open for vehicular traffic.
In the aftermath of the cloudburst and flash floods that claimed 21 lives in Sikkim, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang attributed the collapse of the Chungthang dam to substandard construction. The flash flood, triggered by the cloudburst in Lhonak Lake, resulted in a massive influx of water that targeted the Chungthang Dam, leading to the destruction of power infrastructure and
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