10 killed, 22 Armymen among 82missing in Sikkim flash floods

 

 

AT LEAST ten people died and 80 others, including 22 Army personnel, went missing on Wednesday after a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim triggered a flash flood in the Teesta River basin, officials said. All 10 who died have been identified as civilians including 3 of the dead who were washed up in north Bengal, they said adding that one of the 23 Army men who had gone missing in the morning was rescued later.

 

The flood in Sikkim that started around 1.30 am was made worse by the release of water from Chungthang dam, the officials said. Over 3,000 tourists from various parts of the country, were reported to be stranded in different parts of Sikkim, Sikkim Chief SecretaryV B Pathak said. Several workers employed with Teesta Stage III dam in Chungthang were also stranded in tunnels of the dam, Pathak said.The Sikkim Chief Secretary said that the road infrastructure has suffered extensive damage due to flooding as 14