Gangtok:

The death count in the flash flood in Sikkim rose to 40 on Tuesday with two more bodies being found in the state, while 76 people are still missing about two weeks after the disaster, officials said.

The flash flood in the Teesta river, triggered by a cloudburst in the early hours of October 4, devastated the state, affecting about 88,000 people.

Sikkim has a population of about 6.10 lakh people, the lowest for any state in India, according to the 2011 census.

Most of the bodies were found in Pakyong. Among the 26 bodies found in the district, 15 were of civilians while 11 were of Armymen, according to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA).

Four bodies were found in Mangan, eight bodies in Gangtok and two in Namchi, it said in a bulletin.

Several bodies have been found in neighbouring West Bengal as well, carried by the Teesta to the downstream areas, officials said.

Of the 76 people missing, 28 were from Pakyong, 23 from Gangtok, 20 from Mangan and five from Namchi.

At present, 20 relief camps are operational in the state and 2,080 people are taking shelter in them, the SSDMA said.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a combination of excess rainfall and a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) event at South Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim could have triggered the flash floods. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Gangtok:

The count in the Sikkim flash flood has increased to 37, while 78 people remain missing six days after the deluge was triggered by a cloudburst, officials said on Wednesday.

Pakyong district accounted for the largest number of fatalities at 24, including 10 army personnel, followed by seven in Gangtok, four in Mangan and two in Namchi districts, they said.

Another 78 people are still missing in several towns in the Teesta river basin across the four districts that were flooded, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) said.

Around 6,001 people have been either rescued or evacuated from the flood-affected areas and the number of injured persons is 30, it said.

The count of people affected by the natural calamity stood at 87,300.

A total of 3,773 people were rendered homeless and provided shelter in 24 relief camps in the four districts, the SSDMA said.

The road network of the state was severely disrupted as 16 bridges, including nine in the heavily-ravaged Mangan district alone, were either submerged by the gushing waters or washed away, it added.

Meanwhile, evacuation of stranded tourists and locals from north Sikkim could not take place by air on Wednesday due to inclement weather, a state government official said.

“Due to unfavourable weather condition, the air evacuation operation from Lachung and Lachen in north Sikkim could not take place today,” Planning & Development Secretary R C Bhutia told reporters.

The evacuation operation by air from north Sikkim will resume as soon as the weather improves, he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Gangtok:

In a sign of his commitment to his constituents, an MLA ziplined across a surging river in flood-hit Sikkim to take stock of the situation in a town that has been worst-hit by the floods. 

Samdup Lepcha is the legislator from the Lachen Mangan constituency. Chungthang, which saw parts of the 1200-MW Teesta III Dam being washed away, is part of his constituency and has borne the brunt of the flash floods that hit the state on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least 53 people.

On Saturday, Mr Lepcha was leading a team from Pegong village in Mangan district to Chungthang, where residents have been complaining of inadequate relief efforts. The only log bridge leading to Chungthang has been washed away and, on the suggestion of his team, Mr Lepcha decided to take the only route available to them. 

A video shows the MLA suspended from two ropes as he is given a little push by security personnel. Mr Lepcha is seen smiling initially, but the danger becomes immediately apparent when he is seen dangling over the angry Chungthang River, swollen with floodwater, with just the temporary zipline holding him aloft. 

Sources said Mr Lepcha and his team, which also included the Deputy Inspector General of Police and Chungthang’s Sub-Divisional Magistrate, were the first senior officials from the administration to reach the cut-off town since the flash floods hit.

Devastation

Residents of Chungthang said that when the South Lhonak Lake in the upper reaches burst its banks, flooding the Teesta River and sending floodwater rushing downhill, the existence of the Teesta III dam caused a whirlpool in the town, ravaging it. The floodgates and several other structures of the dam, which is the biggest in the state, were washed away by the river’s fury. 

They complained that relief efforts in the town have not been up to the mark and claimed that none of the stranded residents were airlifted in the three days since the flood hit. 

A resident said two prominent villages close to the town, Lachen and Lachung, which are popular with tourists, have been completely cut off

Soldiers Among Dead

At least 53 people, including 8 soldiers, have been killed and over 140 people are missing since the flash floods hit the state on Wednesday. 

The Sikkim government has reported that 1,173 houses have been severely damaged and over 2,000 people have been rescued. At least 14 bridges have been submerged or washed away, disrupting connectivity to North Sikkim.

After a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Friday, officials had said reopening road connectivity to Chungthang is being prioritised. Compensation of Rs 4 lakh has been announced for the families of the dead.

New Delhi:
At least 53 people, including seven soldiers, have died in the Sikkim flash floods, with 27 more dead bodies found in the Teesta river bed in neighbouring West Bengal over the last three days. Seven of these bodies have been identified.

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New Delhi:
At least 19 people, including six soldiers, have died in the Sikkim flash floods, and 103 people, including 16 soldiers, remain missing. Over 3,000 tourists are stranded, 2,500 people have been evacuated and 6,000 have been moved to relief camp.

Here are 10 points on this big story:

Kolkata:

A flash flood alert has been issued in the north and east districts of Sikkim on Wednesday after the water levels of the Teesta River rose to an alarming level overnight, authorities said.

The Sikkim administration has issued a high alert to the residents of the two districts as a sudden rise in the river’s water was witnessed after Tuesday night.

As per the state disaster authority, the flooding in the river occurred after a cloudburst in the northern part of the state’s Mangan district.

“Flooding of Teesta River Basin has occurred due to Cloud Burst in the Northern Part of Mangan District. All are advised to stay alert and avoid travel along the River Basin,” an alert message by Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority said.

As the water levels rose, connectivity to Chungthang town in North Sikkim has also been affected after a bridge linking the town to its surrounding areas was damaged.

An alert has been issued to all police stations in low-lying areas to ensure safety of all the residents. Those living on the banks of the Teesta river have also been advised to evacuate their homes to ensure their safety.