Sikkim flood fury: Death toll mounts to 21, nearly 100 missing, search and rescue ops underway

The Army has activated 3 helpline numbers for families of missing people in Sikkim including its own soldiers

The death toll in the Sikkim flood fury has mounted to 21, while at least dozens are still missing as per inputs. The bodies were recovered from Dikchu dam site, Teesta-VI project site and Singtam

Deluge caused due to outburst of the South Lhonak Lake has left almost 2000 houses damaged. Over 20,000 people have been affected while the Himalayan state remains cut off from the rest of the country.
As many as 24 bridges were swept away causing widespread devastation. What is worrisome is that the flash floods cut off the crucial national highway 10 at several locations thus severing Sikkim’s road connectivity with the rest of the nation.
3000 tourists have been stranded in Sikkim due to the flash floods and disruption of road communication at multiple places. Around 3000 people taking shelter in relief camps with no electricity supply in North Sikkim.
Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi are the worst affected areas.

Apart from the Army, teams of the NDRF, SDRF and civil defence are on ground conducting search and rescue operations.
The Indian Army has started three helplines for families of missing people in Sikkim including its own soldiers. The numbers are given below:
Army Helpline No for North Sikkim – 8750887741
Army Helpline for East Sikkim – 8756991895
Army Helpline for missing soldiers – 7588302011
A control room of Sikkim Police has been activated For any kind of support, information or assistance relating to the disaster.
The citizens may contact in 03592-202892; 03592-221152; 8001763383; and 03592-202042 for fax. Or call ‘112’ for emergency assistance.
As per latest update, all petrol pumps have run out of stock in capital Gangtok, with rising fears of dwindling supplies of essentials. A notification issued by the Urban Development Department stated that with the blockade of roads and disruption in communication, there is a probability of shortage in supply of essential commodities like vegetables, fruits and other edible items in the market and such situation may lead to possibility of artificial increase in the rates of these edible items.

The Urban Development Department appealed to all wholesalers and vendors dealing with the essential items to maintain sufficient stock and sell them at normal rates to general consumers at this hour of distress.
To make matters worse, the supply of milk has also taken a hit in capital Gangtok. In a notification, the Sikkim Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited has warned of a strong possibility of disruption in milk collection and transportation. Milk collection from East Sikkim has declined by about 70 percent while there has been a decline of about 40 percent from South and West Sikkim.
LPG cylinders stock too is dwindling, authorities said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured all help to the state hit by one of its worst natural disasters.

Read also: Flash Floods in Sikkim: 23 Army Personnel missing; search ops underway

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