Sikkim flash floods: Fmr CM Pawan Chamling writes to PM Modi, seeks Centre’s help

Pawan Chamling urged the Government of India to provide relief, rescue missions, and technical support

Amid the catastrophic flash floods which is wreaking havoc in the Himalayan state of Sikkim, former Chief Minister of Sikkim and leader of Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), Pawan Chamling, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought centre’s help.
So far, five people have died and over 30, including 23 Army men, are missing, houses, roads and highways have been washed away and the Chungthang dam damaged with a portion being washed away.
In his letter to PM Modi, Pawan Chamling apprised the Prime Minister of the dire situation of the state due to the devastating floods caused by the cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in Mangan district resulting in the Teesta River’s water levels swelling significantly and causing floods.

In light of the destruction of NH10 in multiple locations, Pawan Chamling urged the Government of India to provide relief, rescue missions, and technical support and to ensure the supply of necessary commodities.

In the letter, Chamling wrote, “Sikkim has just witnessed a devastating natural disaster with massive damage to infrastructure, property, and loss of life. In the early hours of 4th October 2023, the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Lhonak Lake, North Sikkim, caused water levels to rise at a very high velocity of 15m/sec, causing severe damage along its wake, the Teesta Valley. The water crossed the CWC Melli site around 0600 am measuring 227m, about 3m above the danger level. Sikkim has not experienced this severity of disaster for many decades.”

“The floods have devastated the low-lying areas of Sikkim along the Teesta. The communication networks in Mangan District have also been severely affected. The reports of deaths across the state are coming in and we are yet to estimate the number of lives lost, but it will be in the hundreds. Several bridges in Namchi and Mangan Districts have collapsed, impairing connectivity within the state. Parts of NH-10 have been washed away in several places in Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong, wiping away the connection of the region to the rest of India. Shortage of essential commodities will be a problem very soon and the Government of India must intervene at the earliest to ensure the availability of essential food and medicine. The problem with the Lhonak Lake’s potential GLOF was reported in 2013 by scientists from the National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad. The SDF government, taking immediate action, undertook studies of the GLOF risk and sent field expeditions to study the problem in 2014, 2016 and 2017. In 2017, a disaster mitigation initiative was undertaken to siphon off the excess water from South Lhonak lake to prevent such GLOFs. Unfortunately, this year, the excess water from the lake has led to an outburst. The SDF government also framed a comprehensive a State Disaster Management Plan in 2015 to provide a framework (Sendai) for tackling and overcoming such disasters on a medium-term basis,” the letter further read.

Adding that the disaster must be declared a disaster of a national scale since the main lifeline of the Indian Army to the Indo-China border has also been snapped, Chamling requested the Government of India to dispatch an NDRF team and Glacier Experts Team to Sikkim.

He further said that his party-SDF is already assessing the damage at various places in the field and helping the authorities with whatever is needed.

“We will cooperate fully with the State and Central Government agencies in this need of hour faced by the people of Sikkim, many who are rendered homeless and have lost near and dear ones,” he added.

The flash floods caused severe destruction in the Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi districts of the state.

Copy edited by Lipika Roy
For more updates read:

Amid flash flood fury, Sikkim Govt rations sale of petrol, diesel and LPG

Sikkim flash floods: 5 killed, 30 missing including 23 Army Personnel; houses, roads and bridges washed away

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