KEY POINTS
- Bridges, buildings and other structures were washed away following heavy rainfall
- Army vehicles were submerged in one of the areas badly affected by flash floods
- Parts of a major highway that connects the mountainous state to the rest of the country were damaged
Three people have died and several others, including 23 army personnel, have gone missing following flash floods in India’s northeastern state of Sikkim.
At least six bridges have been washed away as heavy rains lashed different parts of the Himalayan state. Officials said three people lost their lives in the town of Singtam.
“Three bodies have been recovered from Singtam during rescue and relief efforts,” a Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority official said Wednesday.
The Indian Army said 23 soldiers went missing Wednesday morning due to flooding along the Teesta River, which flows through Sikkim’s Lachen Valley to the eastern state of West Bengal before entering neighboring Bangladesh.
Floodwaters also marooned the army’s vehicles parked in the area.
“Some army establishments located in the Lachen Valley have been affected. At least 23 personnel have been reported missing and some vehicles are reported submerged under the slush. Vehicles parked at Bardang near Singtam were affected,” it said in a statement.
Some buildings and structures were washed away, and parts of a major highway that connects the mountainous state to the rest of the country were badly affected.
“The exact number of people who have gone missing is still not confirmed. We are gathering details. As of now, we have confirmed reports of seven people going missing,” Prabhakar Rai, director of Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, said before three bodies were recovered Wednesday.
It was initially believed the flash flood was caused by a cloudburst, which happens when an area of about 3.8 square miles receives around 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) of rainfall in an hour. However, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) regional office in Gangtok later said the situation was not due to a cloudburst, local news outlet Hindustan Times reported.
An India Meteorological Department official said the state received 1.5 inches of rainfall in the last 24 hours.
“The maximum rain received in north Sikkim in the last 24 hours was 39 mm. So, we can’t say it was a cloud burst,” the IMD official added.
Flood alerts were issued for some districts of neighboring West Bengal and Bangladesh after Teesta River’s water levels increased.
