Gangtok: The number of people who lost their lives in cloudburst and lightning floods in Sikkim has reached 5. 23 soldiers also went missing in the incident. The Teesta River in Lachen Valley of Sikkim was flooded following a cloudburst over Lonak Lake in North Sikkim. Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed the Chief Minister of Sikkim to provide all necessary emergency assistance in the disaster.
During the night of Tuesday and Wednesday, the water level rose exponentially. The Sikkim government has declared the flood a ‘catastrophe’. The release of water from the nearby Chungtang Dam also added to the severity of the disaster. Due to this, the water level of Teesta river rose by 15 to 20 feet.
The entire Lachan valley was submerged. The release of water from the Chungtang Dam also caused the flash flood. Several army camps in the Lachen Valley were flooded. The Singhtam footbridge across the Teesta river collapsed after the river overflowed its banks. Several sections of National Highway 10, which connects West Bengal with Sikkim, were washed away. Many roads have been destroyed by floods.
