Sikkim’s Crisis: Glacial Lake Outburst Claims 30, Washes Away Six Bridges

In addition to multiple employees going missing because of the flash flood, at least six bridges connecting Chungthang and Rangpo have also been away. (Sikkim)

Kolkata: Late on Tuesday night, a glacier lake broke in north Sikkim, causing flash floods that left at least thirty persons missing.

According to a top Central Water Commission (CWC) official, the eruption happened in north Sikkim’s Lhonak Lake.

It is still unknown how many people have actually vanished. We are compiling information. The director of the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, Prabhakar Rai, stated, “As of right now, we have confirmed reports of seven people going missing.”

According to an army statement, at least 23 soldiers were also reported missing.

A few army installations in the Lachen Valley have been impacted. Some vehicles are said to be submerged in slush, and at least 23 workers have been reported missing. The statement stated that the impacted vehicles were those parked at Bardang near Singtam.

Three Sikkim districts—Mangan (north), Pakyong, and Gangtok (east)—have reportedly been impacted, according to officials. Mangan suffered the most. Additionally, officials stated that it was anticipated that the River Teesta’s water level would surpass the danger line in a matter of hours. A flood warning was sent out for a few regions in Bangladesh and north Bengal.

Tuesday night, at around ten o’clock, we got a report that the water level at Lachen was rapidly rising. “There was a military base in the neighborhood,” Rai said.

The flash floods were not brought on by a cloud burst, according to the regional office of the India Meteorological Department located in Gangtok. When a small area receives at least 100 mm of rain in an hour, it is called a cloud burst.

The highest 24-hour rainfall total in north Sikkim was 39 millimeters. We therefore cannot claim that it was a cloud burst, an IMD official stated.

In addition to multiple soldiers going missing during the flash flood, at least six bridges between Chungthang and Rangpo have also been destroyed. According to an official, National Highway 10, which is frequently parallel to the Teesta River and is regarded as Sikkim’s lifeline, was also severely damaged.

The roads in North Sikkim have been severely damaged and cut off. Numerous sections are now inaccessible,” the official stated.

Heavy rainfall in adjoining West Bengal

Heavy rain fell over West Bengal due to a cyclonic circulation and low-pressure system above Jharkhand. Up to Thursday, the IMD has predicted increased rainfall activity in the eastern state.

At least seven districts, including Birbhum, Bankura, West Burdwan, East Burdwan, West Midnapore, Hooghly, and Howrah, are experiencing flooding as a result of the heavy rains, a state government official said.

In the Bankura district, over a thousand individuals have been evacuated and relocated to safer areas. The districts of Bankura and Purulia have seen the establishment of at least 35 relief camps. Supplies such as drinking water, tarps, dry food, and medications have been prepared. A senior representative of the state’s Department of Disaster Management and Civil Defense stated, “We are keeping a careful eye on everything.

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