23 army soldiers washed away in sudden flood(flood)

Gangtok: A major accident has occurred in Sikkim. Cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim led to flood like situation in Teesta river in Lachen valley. Due to this, 23 army personnel were washed away in the flash flood (flood) that occurred around 1 pm on Tuesday night. Rescue operation is going on in search of him. Some army establishments were hit by flash floods, due to which this accident occurred. Many army vehicles were submerged in water. Defense PRO Guwahati has issued a statement regarding this incident.

According to the Defense Public Relations Officer, ‘A sudden cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim caused sudden flooding in Teesta River in Lachen Valley. Some military installations in the valley have been affected and efforts are on to confirm details. Due to release of water from Chungthang Dam, the water level downstream suddenly rose to a height of 15-20 feet. Due to this, army vehicles parked at Bardang near Singtam have been affected. 23 personnel are reported missing and some vehicles are reported submerged in mud. The search operation is going on.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang also took stock of the situation after the flash floods in Singtam. According to sources, due to sudden release of water from Chungthang Dam, the water level downstream increased by 15-20 feet. Due to this, army vehicles parked at Bardang near Singtam have been affected. While 23 soldiers are missing, around 41 army vehicles also got submerged in the mud. The army is facing challenges in rescue operations because there is low internet connectivity in the area.

The officers who are at the command level are finding it difficult to connect with the people at the ground level. Efforts are on to rescue people missing in the sudden flood. BJP leader Ugyen Tsering Gyatso Bhutia said, ‘There is no loss of life or property in Singtam but there has been damage to public properties. There is information about some people missing. Efforts are on to find them. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang also took stock of the situation in Singtam this morning.

Due to heavy rains, flood situation has arisen in Darjeeling and Siliguri also. Teesta river has assumed a fierce form. Part of the Kalimpong National Highway was washed away due to the strong flow of water, due to which Bengal’s connectivity with Sikkim has been cut off. Due to cloudburst in Chungtham, the catchment area of Lhonak Lake swelled and a large amount of water entered the Lachung River. The water level of Lachung river rose and its water reached Teesta river, due to which a flood situation arose. There is a danger of flood in other areas of North Bengal also. The Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rain in North and South Bengal in the next 48 hours.