NEW DELHI: At least 10 people have died after flash floods ravaged the northern state of Sikkim with the toll of missing people rising to 102, including 22, Indian authorities revealed on Thursday.
As a result of the massive cloudburst-triggered floods, 14 people died while over 3,000 tourists were stranded prompting the state government to deploy hundreds of search and rescue officers to assist the affected areas.
It was previously reported that 23 people were missing due to the floods.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he spoke to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Wednesday and assured him of all possible support.
Following a cloudburst, the state’s Lhonak Lake breached its embankment on Tuesday night leading to an alarming rise in water in the Teesta River in Lachen Valley.
A flood in the river escalated after a dam released water, causing water levels to rise up to 15-20 ft high downstream, according to a defence spokesperson.
A state official said that nearly 14 people were trapped in the dam’s tunnels.
The Indian army has launched a massive search operation to locate and rescue missing soldiers. One soldier was rescued on Wednesday night in stable condition.
Rescue personnel also found 10 bodies, including a child, in the Teesta River flood plains in Singtam, officials told Press Trust of India (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, BBC reported.
As the mobile network in northern parts of the state was disrupted, the army has launched three helplines for families of missing people, including its own soldiers.
“Family members of the missing persons have been contacted and informed about the situation,” the army said.
As water from Teesta overwhelmed Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri districts, northern West Bengal state areas also suffered.
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.
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