The toll from flash floods in Sikkim climbed to 30 after four more bodies were found on Saturday as search operations for the missing people continued, reported PTI.
Sixty-two people reported missing in the last three days have been found, said the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority. Now, 81 people remain missing, accoding to the the agency.
The floods triggered by a glacial lake outburst in northern Sikkim’s Lachen valley in the early hours of Wednesday have disrupted the lives of over 25,000 people, damaged more than 1,200 houses and washed away 13 bridges. Sikkim Chief Secretary VB Pathak said that the Lhonak Lake breached its embankment after heavy rains and discharged large volumes of water into the Teesta river, raising its levels.
The authorities have rescued 2,413 people and 6,875 people are taking shelter in 22 relief camps set up across the state, reported PTI. The floods have also washed away the state’s biggest hydropower project, Sikkim Urja, along with a 200-metre bridge leading to its powerhouse.
An inter-ministerial central team will visit the Sikkim on Sunday to assess the damage, Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said.
The flash flood had also washed away parts of an Indian Army establishment. On Thursday, the Sikkim government had also issued an advisory to locals on the banks of Teesta river to not pick up any arms, ammunitions or explosives. A similar warning was issued by north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district police as well.
However, despite the warning a seven-year-old boy died while five others were injured after a mortar shell exploded in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, reported East Mojo.
On Saturday, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the families of those who died and an immediate relief of Rs 2,000 each for those taking shelter in relief camps.
“There has been damage worth thousands of crores of rupees,” Tamang told PTI. “We cannot give exact details about the damage. It will be revealed once a committee is formed and completes its analysis. Our first priority is to save those who are stranded and provide them immediate relief.”
The chief minister on Friday announced that the state government and Sikkim Urja Limited will release a financial relief package for the disaster-stricken areas of Sikkim.
“We have allocated a relief package of Rs 25 crore for Mangan District and Rs 15 crore each for the Districts of Gangtok, Pakyong, and Namchi.” Tamang said in a tweet. “This allocation is in addition to the relief aid provided by both the state and the central government.”
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